News Forum - Rights groups urge United States to ban fishing nets made by Thai prisoners

[Thaiger]

A December investigation by the the Thomson Reuters foundation discovered that jails across Thailand are illegally forcing prisoners to make fishing nets for private companies, including those that export to the United States. Former prisoners Reuters interviewed said guards beat them, disallowed them to shower, and pushed back their release dates if they didn’t meet strict targets. Now, Thai and international rights groups urge the United States to halt imports of nets made in prison labour. Last week, a coalition of 31 Thai and international groups submitted a petition calling to halt nets made from prison labour by the Khon […]

The story Rights groups urge United States to ban fishing nets made by Thai prisoners as seen on Thaiger News.

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NIKE

[ThaiEyes]

I wonder how many prisoners actually went on to make nets for a living after they were released? Probably no stats they would wish to share anyway. Thai progressiveness. One step up, one and a half back in this case. The step up wasn’t necessarily for the prisoners either. 

[Fanta]

Pointless. The DOC will simply find a different product to manufacture/assemble for another company. And stop beating the shit out of prisoners for any old thing wouldn’t be a bad idea also but unlikely to occur any time soon. Corporal punishment is widely used in Thai prisons, mainly caning across fingertips and kicking the backs of prisoners seated on the ground. Punching causes bruises you see….

Edited February 19, 2022 by Fanta
Removed “wages”

[LoongFred]

You know they are kept busy and are doing something productive. It's not slave labor these are convicted criminals. 

[LoongFred]

1 hour ago, Fanta said:

Pointless. The DOC will simply find a different product to manufacture/assemble for another company. And stop beating the shit out of prisoners for any old thing wouldn’t be a bad idea also but unlikely to occur any time soon. Corporal punishment is widely used in Thai prisons, mainly caning across fingertips and kicking the backs of prisoners seated on the ground. Punching causes bruises you see….

I've never been to Thai prison but from what I've read it's not a resort. One is sent there when convicted of a crime.  I'm sure there are some harsh treatment but also in the UK,EU, and America.  Of course some newspapers want to make it big news but they avoid anything not on their agenda, so....

I've talked to exprisoners and they don't say much. I know it's very crowded and not pleasant. I've heard of meditation training to help prisoners cope.

 

[Poolie]

They'll probably just source their nets from American jails instead. Keep it at home!!

[HolyCowCm]

Here in CM they will have an annual hard wood furniture sale in the back area field of a Tesco off the Super Highway. Every thing is made by prisoners and very nice as well.

[Fanta]

16 hours ago, LoongFred said:

You know they are kept busy and are doing something productive. It's not slave labor these are convicted criminals. 

An imprisoned criminals punishment is to be removed from society. It is not to be used unwillingly as a labor resource, unless the sentence is defined as hard labour or community service, and that is the issue here. As well as alleged mistreatment by prison guards. Prisoners often welcome the tedious monotony of these manuals tasks to escape the lack of intellectual stimulation, rehabilitation options or the alternative of sitting around doing nothing all day as they are not allowed into the cells until lockdown, no newspapers, radio or TV.

Edited February 20, 2022 by Fanta
Reason for work

[HiuMak]

18 hours ago, Thaiger said:

A December investigation by the the Thomson Reuters foundation discovered that jails across Thailand are illegally forcing prisoners to make fishing nets for private companies, including those that export to the United States. Former prisoners Reuters interviewed said guards beat them, disallowed them to shower, and pushed back their release dates if they didn’t meet strict targets. Now, Thai and international rights groups urge the United States to halt imports of nets made in prison labour. Last week, a coalition of 31 Thai and international groups submitted a petition calling to halt nets made from prison labour by the Khon […]

 

If the proceeds go back to the prisoners why not? If the funds are going back to these scumbacks illegally forcing prisoners to make the nets, they should be prosecuted.

[Faraday]

17 hours ago, LoongFred said:

You know they are kept busy and are doing something productive. It's not slave labor these are convicted criminals. 

They still need to treated as human, though, don't you think?

 

[Fanta]

27 minutes ago, HiuMak said:

If the proceeds go back to the prisoners why not? If the funds are going back to these scumbacks illegally forcing prisoners to make the nets, they should be prosecuted.

The funds go to the prison. Prisoners get paid next to nothing (100 baht or so a month). The issue is not the money, it is the allegations of mistreatment of prisoners. Until that is more closely scrutinized it won’t matter two hoots if no more fishing nets are manufactured as it will just be another product.

[Cabra]

Work release (letting prisoners work, many times off sight, for extra cash to spend at the commissary -- like US prisoners in Louisiana working at poultry slaughter houses) is one thing, forced labor with no renumeration is something entirely different, and should be illegal

[LoongFred]

1 hour ago, Cabra said:

Work release (letting prisoners work, many times off sight, for extra cash to spend at the commissary -- like US prisoners in Louisiana working at poultry slaughter houses) is one thing, forced labor with no renumeration is something entirely different, and should be illegal

The provincial prison has work release and training. There is a massage place across from the government hospital that's staffed by inmates. I haven't been so I can't comment other than it's there.

[Tezza1971]

Well, if they didn't commit crimes, they wouldn't be in jail. Stop the sob stories, get enough of that in Australia with our inmates. Getting a flogging in jail should be enough of a deterrent to make sure they don't do anything that makes them go back to jail. Inmates need work to keep them busy and in some cases, train them to help them find employment. Moral of the story, have respect for Law and Order, have respect for Other People and have respect for Other People's Property. Then you don't go to jail.