<p>(Washington, D.C.)&nbsp; -- The Government of Thailand&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/media-center/14/52944-Thailand-will-not-recruit-prisoners-to-work--on-fi.html" target="_blank">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that it will scrap a proposed project to recruit prisoners to work on Thai fishing boats.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.khaosodenglish.com/">Khaosod English</a> : Two Thai men have been arrested for allegedly trafficking nearly 400 Rohingya into southern Thailand.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(New York, December 11, 2014) – Thailand’s military government should cancel a plan to encourage prisoners to work on fishing boats given the widespread abuses in the Thai fishery sector, Human Rights Watch said today.<br /><br />On December 4, 2014, Labor Minister Gen. Surasak Kanchanrat announced a plan to send 176 prisoners whose prison terms are up within one year, and who agree, to work on fishing boats in Samut Sakhon province, Thailand’s major fishery hub. The Labor Ministry said 2,830 male detainees in Samut Sakhon Prison are eligible to participate.<br /></p>

<p>Following her 11 day long anti-trafficking mission (August 8-19) visiting Chiang Mai, Mae Sot, Samut Sakhon, Songkhla and Tak, the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Ms. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo returned to Bangkok to hold a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding her preliminary findings and recommendations. </p>

<p>On August 8, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children (2008-2011), Ms. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo from Nigeria, officially commenced her special counter-trafficking mission in Thailand. </p>

<p>GENEVA / BANGKOK &ndash; United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, will begin an official visit to Thailand from 8 to 19 August to examine the impact of anti-trafficking measures in the country. &ldquo;During my mission, I wish to reach out to a wide range of stakeholders and trafficked persons themselves, so that their voices are heard and can be considered in the national laws, policies and measures related to trafficking in persons,&rdquo; the Special Rapporteur said.</p>

<p>The Lawyers Council of Thailand has issued the written statements to the PM and other related departments, stating its concern over an increasing number of Rohingya people smuggled by sea, as a result of insufficient measures and compromised practices on prosecuting human trafficking organizations.</p>