Mangkhalasiri, Phirapat; (2025) Challenges of investigating and prosecuting child sex trafficking and child labour trafficking in Thailand. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

This study explores the challenges of investigating and prosecuting child sex trafficking (CST) and child labour trafficking (CLT) within Thailand's criminal justice system. The thesis provides critical insights into responses at the systemic, organisational, and individual levels, using a qualitative approach to analyse both positive and negative aspects. By applying complex systems theory and police occupational theory, it examines the interdependencies within anti-trafficking efforts, focusing on external influences such as the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. The research incorporates qualitative data from 24 investigative case files and 44 interviews with police officers, judges, social welfare officers, and NGO staff. This approach offers a detailed understanding of the societal context influencing trafficking investigations and prosecutions in Thailand. Key findings reveal both strengths and gaps. Specialised units in urban areas effectively handle digital evidence, while multi-disciplinary collaboration, including NGO involvement, ensures that police engage with all relevant actors – both victims and offenders – thereby contributing to the dismantling of trafficking networks. However, systemic challenges remain, such as a quota-driven focus (linked to US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report rankings, it seems), which can undermine the quality of investigations. Additionally, the centralisation of police and prosecutors can limit localised responses, and prevailing attitudes within law enforcement and the judiciary contribute to an overemphasis on overt abuse, overshadowing subtler forms of exploitation, such as psychological coercion and economic dependency. Drawing on lessons from other countries, the thesis recommends reforms to improve training, foster inter-agency collaboration, and establish clear protocols for the ethical use of victims as informants. It advocates psychological support for officers and victims. These recommendations emphasise the need to focus not only on anti-trafficking efforts but also on ensuring basic rights and protections for victims, creating a more victim-centred and effective criminal justice system in Thailand.

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