Another UK question!

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Paul
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Another UK question!

Post by Paul » July 25, 2005, 8:18 pm

I have been aproached by a University student here in Udon who is doing a project on Thai people abroad, and she has asked for my help.
Of the many Thais that go to work in the UK (and Europe), many are misled, thinking they are going to work in Hotels or restaurants but instead are dragged into a world of massage parlours and prostitution - many of them becoming virtual prisoners until they have paid back their alleged 'debt' to the organisers - which they never seem able to do.

The question is : Are there any support or help groups in the UK who would assist a Thai girl if her plight became known to them ?

I know there are womens groups in general, which cater for abused and mistreated women - but anything specifically for the Thais ?

I also think that if 'premises of dubious goings on' gets raided by the police, then there may be some help there - but it may just be someone assigned to the case and realises that the Thai has no right to be there so arranges deportation.???

What would a young naieve Thai girl have to do to find help if she found herself trapped in a world of vice and violence in the UK ?

Any help /advice much appreciated
Paul 8)

PS - I tried registering on the Thailand-UK.com website to ask this question but it will not let me register using Yahoo or Hotmail so I cannot join and ask the forum there - hence the reason I am asking here as I know many members are in the UK - Thanks



lee
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Post by lee » July 25, 2005, 8:46 pm

I know it

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BangkokButcher
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Post by BangkokButcher » July 25, 2005, 9:09 pm

I have heard of a couple of organisations, but I'll be damned if I can remember the name of them.

I'll see if I can hunt some more info down for you.

As for the thai-uk site, you should be able to sign up using a www.gmail.com email address, if you want yet another one to add to your collection, let me know if you need an invite to register one.

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JimboPSM
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Post by JimboPSM » July 25, 2005, 9:58 pm

Rules on Thailand-UK for registration:

QUOTE
PLEASE NOTE: We cannot accept registrations from web-based email addresses such as Hotmail, Yahoo, Lycos, Excite, ICQ, etc.
You must register using a valid email address, but can choose to hide this from other members should you so desire.
Thank you.
UNQUOTE

It looks as though gmail might not hit the spot :lol:

If you can view forum as a lurker, maybe one of us who are registered with them could post question on your behalf, it would at least give access to a much wider audience for possible answers.

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thethailife
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Post by thethailife » July 26, 2005, 1:01 am

You could sign up with a free ISP online like Earthlink or Net Zero. Give any info you want, download but don't install the software and that will get you an email address you can use to sign up for Thailand uk. I will do it for you if it would help.

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Paul
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Post by Paul » July 26, 2005, 8:08 am

Thailand-Uk accepted my registration request on my Yahoo account and even sent me a congratulatory email to my yahoo account, notifying me that my application to register was successful - however upon attempting to log on, I was then informed they cannot accept web-based email addresses. #-o

I was just hoping to get out to a wider audience and help out the student.
Thanks for all the replies

Paul 8)

valentine

Post by valentine » July 26, 2005, 9:47 am

Several things spring to mind from your posting. Firstly the girls are illegal immigrants and any authority would immediately arrange for their deportation, same day mostly. If they are really in deep trouble the first point of call must be their own embassy. They must be aware of the illegality of their visit because they would have received a lengthy briefing before attending the embassy here in Thailand and also be prepared to answer the immigration officers questions at the other end. So they must know the risks they are taking.Secondly, many of them know they are going to work in massage parlours but choose to tell their families they are going to work in Thai restaurants.The potential earnings they are offered make this abundantly clear, most are told they can earn the equivalent of 100,000baht a month.Gold plated waitresses?
I was a frequent user of Thai style massage establishments in the UK and Holland.The girls were earning BIG money, up to 150$ a client, 10 clients every day, 7 days a week.They mostly didn't want to leave, and if occassionaly were raided and deported were back again in less than a month.Many married a client, paying up to 7,000$ to him, so they could stay forever.Tell your student Paul, don't believe everything you read in the papers. If however a genuine innocent girl does get into trouble she can walk into any police station or stop an officer on patrol and she will receive immediate help, even if she doesn't have a passport. No criminal charges will be brought, unless serious other things , like drugs are involved. But, and this is what the girls don't want, THEY will be immmediately deported.

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Paul
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Post by Paul » July 26, 2005, 11:55 am

Very informative valentine - thank you

two things spring to mind from your writings:

How about those we hear who are kept virtual prisoners in the establishments, are not allowed out and just become sex slaves - how would they get themselves out of it (except to convince one of their customers to help them) - If indeed this goes on ?

Secondly, if we see a child being abused, there is a telephone number we can call and the child will be rescued, looked after and given emotional support. What I (or the students) want to know is if there is such a thing for these Thai girls IF they did not want to do this kind of work?

Many thanks for your time and input.

Paul 8)

valentine

Post by valentine » July 26, 2005, 3:56 pm

Yes Paul, I can see what your looking for, a sort of childline as organised by Esther Ranzsen but for adult women. I would repeat however that the existing police force is well able to help and have interpreters of most languages available within 2 hours at most stations around the UK. If such a practise of imprisoned slavery goes on, and outside of stories in the more sensational press I am not aware of it. It would naturally apply to girls of all nationalities, eastern bloc girls immediately spring to mind. Why confine the aid to Thais. I know you said they may be locked in but if they can get a message to a helpline then they could notify the law and it is their job and they are well equipped to deal with it. After all , if there was such an agency for helping captive sex slaves they would have to involve the police immediately, it is a crime to withhold information about illegal activity.
If you really do need a contact, then I recommend the Samaritans who are everywhere throughout the Uk and in all phone books, but you will run into language problems and their instructions would be to notify the police , so we get back to my original suggestion.
I think possibly your student is not aware of how helpful the British police are compared to their Thai counterparts.

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