Ten Cambodians who are reportedly being held at a Thai pineapple juice factory are seeking assistance from the government and NGOs, according to Am Sam Ath, a technical supervisor for the human rights group Licadho. Another 47 workers who were once reportedly held at the factory are no longer there.
A suspected trafficker in the case, Sam Chhunleng, was arrested last week.
Fifty-seven workers from Pursat province’s Bakan district had reportedly been forced to work in a juice factory located in Thailand. The name and location of the factory are not currently known.
Fifteen of the Cambodian workers escaped to unknown locations, 15 were transferred to an unknown location, and 17 managed to return home to Pursat and subsequently informed Licadho, according to Mr Sam Ath. “The rest are seeking help,” he said.
Chiv Phally, deputy director of the National Police anti-human trafficking bureau, said police were still working on finding the address of the Thai factory to rescue the remaining 10 workers.
“We are working with border police and have contacted the Cambodian Embassy in Thailand to rescue the rest of the workers,” he said.
Mr Phally added that alleged trafficker Mr Chhunleng was now in prison and awaiting trial.
Chhon Chhunly, his wife and nine of his relatives escaped from the Thai factory on Tuesday. He said they went to Thailand on May 24 after paying $170 to a middleman in hope of making nearly $400 a month.
Instead, Mr Chhunly said they were forced to work “night and day” and were never paid. He added that their boss told them: “You don’t deserve money since you were sold to me for 6,000 baht”—or about $196.
“The boss always pushed us to work and threatened to kill us,” he said, adding that he felt frightened because the supervisor always carried a pistol.
