Remembering the Sex Workers and Victims of Human Trafficking that intensifies with F1

Pattaya Daily News : THAI SEX WORKER IN BAHRAIN SEEKS TO EXTRICATE FRIENDS CAUGHT IN CATCH 22 SITUATION

20 January, 2011 – BCHR

A Thai woman, Uoom, 36, lured to Bahrain as a sex worker, managed to escape back to Thailand, recently, vowing to have her 2 friends still there repatriated with the help of the Pavena Foundation.

The 3 women, Uoom from Sa Kaeo, Bao from Ubon Ratchathani and Tong from Loei had originally been recruited in Pattaya by a Bahrain mamasan, P’Oai, aka Sofia.

Uoom told the reporter “I want to warn other women. If you were convinced by someone who promised you a well-paid job in Bahrain, don’t trust them. They will tell you of a dream-like city, but what you’ll face is like a hell.”

The three women had met at the Thai Embassy in Manama, Bahrain after escaping a life of sex-slavery having to service 5+ men a day.

The women were taking refuge at the embassy, but had to pay daily living expenses and were told by Thai officials that they would have to request the plane fare and the overstay fine of 4,000 Baht a month from their families back home. This was somewhat difficult as the families were ignorant of the women’s occupation. Their plight was further exacerbated by Ms Bao having detected a lump in her breast, while Ms Tong experienced sinus problems and frequent nose bleeds. Although they had visited a doctor outside, any further attempt may have put them at the mercy of vengeful mamasans out for their blood. Consequently, they were in a Catch 22 situation.

However, with the help of a Bahraini friend, Uoom managed to return to Thailand, where she sought the help of the Pavena Foundation to solve her friends’ plight.

Ms Pavena Hongsakula, the founder of the Pavena Foundation, is intending to sort out the 2 remaining women’s problems by enlisting the aid of the Thai ambassador to Bahrain, Phitak Phrombubpha, who is currently in Thailand. Failing this, Ms Pavena intends to approach the Social Development and Human Security Ministry to extricate the unfortunates. …source