Identifying Forced Labour and Human Trafficking in Thailand's Fishing Industry

RESEARCH
PROPOSAL

Table of Contents
RESEARCH PROPOSAL...............................................................................................................1
Research Title..................................................................................................................................3
Background of the Study.................................................................................................................3
Research Question...........................................................................................................................4
Research Aim and Objective...........................................................................................................4
Research Design..............................................................................................................................4
Research Method.............................................................................................................................5
Ethics...............................................................................................................................................8

Research Title
To identify the issue of forced labour and human trafficking in Thailand’s Fishing Industry
Background of the Study
Since 2016, Human rights watch, interviewed 250 current and former labor in the fishing
industry regarding working hours, occupational health and safety recruitment practices, salaries,
payment and similar issues1. It was found that majority of people are facing issue of forced
labour and human trafficking in Thai fishing industry. It has been evaluated that government of
Thailand has designed high standard practices and undertaken initiatives in order to clean up the
sector and portray its better image at a global level2. However even after the initiatives and
practices of government, the situation has not changed substantially. On the basis of large-scale
survey of 496 fishers in 2012, it was found that one worker among five stated that their employer
abuse their rights at workplace and forced them for long working hours on small pay scales in
Fishing industry. In Thailand, there are large numbers of workers who have turned away from
low skilled, labour-intensive profession3. Due to this situation in Thailand, labour shortage has
occurred in various industries which have resulted in the increase of the numbers of migrant’s
workers from different countries such as Cambodia, Laos PDR, Myanmar etc. Thai Fishing
industry has turned to cheap migrants to meet the labour needs and the pay is very low for long
working hours. The industry is still labour intensive has not efficiently upgraded to technological
support. The survey of Human right Watch revealed that migrants who voluntarily enter into the
country for employment are forced to stay in the country by owners or brokers. Forced labour
has resulted in abuse of power and illegal captivation of labour.
The workers of Thailand fishing industry revealed that they were forced to work through
intimidation and violence. Many workers stated that they were not being paid at all. Human right
1 Farrell, A., and et.al., 2018. Human Trafficking for Labor Exploitation. Transnational Crime
and Global Security [2 volumes]. pp.233.
2 Nardi, P.M., 2018. Doing survey research: A guide to quantitative methods. Routledge.
3 Chan, S.K.L., 2018. Deprivation of citizenship, undocumented labor, and human trafficking:
Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand. Regions and Cohesion. 8(2). pp.82-106.

Watch reported that many of the workers works for long hours with little pay and are abused by
the captain, owner, and shipper.
Migrants from underdeveloped countries who are looking for jobs are the key labourers
within the industry. The Government of Thailand has responded that there is a critical need to
restructure the legal obligations and framework on the industry. Issuing new regulation to
regulate the fishing industry will help in controlling the stated issue within the country. The
current investigation is to identify the issue of forced labour and human trafficking in Thailand’s
Fishing Industry. A detailed description will be outlined in this research, regarding the issue of
forced labour and migrants whose rights are being abused in the fishing industry. The main aim
of this research proposal is to discuss the issue of migrants and labourers captivated in the
industry and whose rights are being regularly abused for business growth and profitability4. To
address this research aim, the researcher will apply different methods to develop an effectiv
research methodology. Aspects of data collection, research technique, sampling, research design
etc. Will be critically examined and developed to attain reliable research results. Furthermore,
qualitative research technique will be applied in the investigation to collect primary information
about forced labour and violence5. By conducting a survey of 25 migrants’ in Thailand, the
researcher will carry out investigation to find relevant information. This will help the researcher
in successfully attaining the research objectives. Furthermore, a short summary of the literature
review will also outline in the proposal through which detail knowledge and understanding of the
subject can gain by the researcher6. In the literature review section, various topics related to
Human rights violation, human trafficking, the Fishing industry of Thailand, the Human right
violation in Thailand’s fishing industry, Legal and ethical standpoint etc will discuss.
4 Green, J. and Thorogood, N., 2018. Qualitative methods for health research. Sage.
5 Cruz, R.F. and Berrol, C.F. eds., 2018. Dance/movement therapists in action: A working guide
to research options. Charles C Thomas Publisher.
6 Pocock, N.S., and et.al., 2018. Occupational, physical, sexual and mental health and violence
among migrant and trafficked commercial fishers and seafarers from the Greater Mekong
Subregion (GMS): the systematic review. Global health research and policy. 3(1) pp.28