Modern Day Slaves of Thailand | Open Secrets

Open Secrets is a documentary series that looks at just this—secrets lived out in the open, things everyone knows about, but no one will talk about—until that moment when it becomes fully exposed to the world. Each episode visits a different country, looking at a single secret and exploring why the issue remained a secret for years despite existing out in the open.

What has allowed these secrets to fester in the open for so long? For some, the reason is a risk, that blowing the whistle can be deadly. For others, it’s a privilege, that they benefited from the secret staying such for too long.

This series is about the insurmountable control those in the corridors of power have in societies—till someone decides to risk it all to take them head-on.


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[hendrasutika]

"if my life ends, it is still worth saving 2000 people's lives". That's deep. Respect for this woman.

[RtmB]

Give this woman her Nobel prize, all the damn recognition the world can give and donation to her and LPN foundation. She spearheaded an effort rescuing 2, 000 people who is being trafficked, become forced labour and tricked into slavery while enduring stomach cancer! WHAT A REAL LIFE HERO

[floptimus]

Patima is an absolute real hero, what a remarkable selfless woman.

[holybasil]

My uncle is a survivor of the fisherman slave. Lured to fish in the sea as a teenage, turned to a slave and escaped when he was 40. He mentioned once that “Ifany of the slave ever gotten sick, they get thrown overboard”. 😢

[v.g]

I find the woman who had the idea to help the fisherman in a injustice system to be brave, beautiful and inspiring. The world needs humanitarians like her and alike to stand up against human injustice!

[itsmeploy]

As a Thai citizen myself, I have no idea about these things at all. I know that our government is terrible and crucial but you guys just open up my new perspective. Wow Thank you

[Dahrenhorst]

Actually, this is not only a problem in commercial fishing. It's a problem with nearly every product we use or consume. In nearly all products you will find components in the product or in parts of it, in its packaging or its logistics, which entail exploitation or outright slavery.

[dianaeka]

I truly appreciated VICE using this platform to actually raise awareness to what happen behind the closed doors. Hopefully the world will be a better place if we all share the responsibilities to always look out for others in need.

[spydude]

There was a story published prior to 2015 about an island in the Andaman Sea that inhabited by fisherman who had jumped off their fishing boats and swam to the island to escape. One man interviewed claimed that he had been held against his well as a slave on a fishing ship for ten years. The Captains of the boats would immediately take your passport, so you couldn't leave your the boat. All the while you were working on the boat, you had to pay the Captain for everything you consumed. Food, medicine, clothing. It truly is modern day slavery. The brokers work in Thailand, Singapore, Philippines. They scout the small villages for young men willing to pay the $500.00 fee to the broker to get them a job on a fishing boat. Once they arrive they are forced to work without any chance to get off.

[aeummy]

This is truly eye-opening. I am Thai myself, I must admit I’ve never heard of this story before. Thanks VICE for such a good work!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[EddyRudram]

"A hell made by humans for other humans" - I am haunted by this statement. This woman deserves recognition for all the work she has done.

[Bedroom_Musician]

Huge respect to PATIMA, you're an absolute real Hero . May God continue to help you in doing this job and helping the helpless.🙏

[origine]

Really well done documentary, the juxtaposition of the beautifully shot seafood footage with the horrifying stories of what was happening at sea was so chilling, really makes you think about how many people have been exploited to deliver the products we take for granted to see at our stores

[kittjosef]

this made me cry, i still can't accept the wealth gap in the current world we live in. everyday, we see absurdly wealthy people flashing their luxurious lifestyle and at the same time, people like in this documentary exists... it just makes my heart ache...

[chewsday]

Indonesian here. This is hard to swallow, I've never thought that somehow some Indonesians are playing a part on this and one of the islands is used as a slavery prison. I thought 3.5 centuries under slavery taught us about how awful it is.

[MrThamses]

Slavery does really run deep in Thailand, not just in fishing industry but in government and military as well.
Recently, there is a case of a woman who was lured into slavery by a mistress of a senate. In short, the mistress lured the woman to join military, and used her husband's influence to move the woman to work at her house. The mistress, then, threatened and forced the woman to work as her new housewife. The woman was paid only a portion of her salary from her military career; the rest of the salary was stolen by the mistress. Moreover, the woman also was daily tortured by the mistress. Other than regularly beating, the woman said that there was a time when the mistress sprayed alcohol on her hair and lighted it on fire, or beat her face with a rod, which ended up broke her nose.

[cherylmoatz]

My heart just dropped seeing that old grandma that was in her 80's at least repairing nets. My husband is half Thai and his mother is retired and lives in a condo in Florida. The poor old lady should be living her best life being cared for. 😭

[chasingpax]

Currently visiting Thailand and yes seafood is abundant from small street stalls to fancy restaurants. This is heartbreaking and eye-opening.

[misscatnut]

Patima from the bottom of my heart, I thank you, Khop Khun Kha. You are a very brave, courages and smart woman that deserves not only the Nobel Prize, but funding and such. Thank for helping so many people that would otherwise have gone lost and for keeping the fight alive for the ones that are still in distress.
I, for my part will never eat Seafood the same way, thank you for opening my eyes.

[malasia]

What a brave and inspiring woman she is!
She holds the key to real joy without any luxury at all: think about those in need and do someting about it.