Thai Union and Issara Institute Foundation Meet The Royal Thai Police On Human Trafficking Solutions

(From left to right) Pol. Maj. Gen. Gritthapon Yeesakharn, Commander, Royal Thai Marine Police Division; Pol. Maj. Gen. Thiti Sangsawang, Commander, Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division; Pol. Lt. Gen. Thitiraj Nhongharnpitak, Commissioner of Central Investigation Bureau; Pol. Gen. Aek Angsananont, Deputy Commissioner General, Royal Thai Police; Pol. Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung, Commissioner General, Royal Thai Police; Mr. Kraisorn Chansiri, Chairman, Thai Union Group; Dr. Lisa Rende Taylor, Director, Issara Institute Foundation; Mr. Thiraphong Chansiri, President & CEO, Thai Union Group; Mrs. Sasinan Allmand, Head of Corporate Communications, Thai Union Group and Mr. Arongkot Khosshasarn, National Project Officer, Project Issara

5th August 2015, Bangkok – Thai Union Group executives, led by Mr. Kraisorn Chansiri, Chairman and accompanied by Mr. Thiraphong Chansiri, President & CEO, Mrs. Sasinan Allmand, Head of Corporate Communications, together with Dr. Lisa Rende Taylor, Director of Issara Institute Foundation met with Police General Somyot Poompanmoung, Commissioner General, Royal Thai Police to discuss possible solutions on human trafficking problems in the Thai seafood and fishing industry. The discussion focused on extensive exchange of information to develop improved understanding of the human trafficking issues in Thailand and timely assistance of human trafficking victims by the project Issara.

Pol. Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung, Commissioner General, Royal Thai Police stated that presently, the government sector has in place a rigid operational policy to deal with human trafficking, that more proactive suppressions have been executed and that more stringent law

enforcement has been ordered. He also said that the Royal Thai Police, in particularly the Central Investigation Bureau, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division and the Marine Police Division, offers full support to the Issara Institute Foundation with the establishment of an information exchange as the first step towards the fight against human trafficking.

Dr. Lisa Rende Taylor, Director of Issara Institute Foundation said that the eradication of human trafficking and assistance for human trafficking victims require close cooperation of many concerned parties including the private sector and the government sector such as the Police in order to free the victims. She also said that she will share with the Royal Thai Police extensive information that could lead to prosecution of human traffickers and labor rights violators. Dr. Taylor added that this cooperation is a positive step towards human trafficking-free Thailand.

The project Issara currently offers a 24-hour hotline for anyone to report on human trafficking violations and has been partnering with Thai Union to help alleviate human trafficking and human rights violations in supply chains around the world.

Mr. Thiraphong Chansiri, President & CEO of Thai Union Group, said that this meeting sets a new milestone for the cooperation between the Royal Thai Police and the civil society sector with a mutual target of eradicating human trafficking in Thailand. Thai Union, as a long-time key supporter for this change, urges all concerned parties to up the ante in the abolition of human trafficking to sustainably achieve concrete results and reclaim Thailand’s positive reputation.