The first quarter of this Rotary Year has come and gone. While are never able to do all that is possible to prevent children from being sucked into human trafficking we have made substantial progress. Prevention training through The Peace Culture Foundation was help at several schools and more is scheduled in coming months.
Support for the Peace Culture Foundation training and public awareness events take most of our attention.
October promises to be exciting as we will host the A21 Walk for Freedom in Chiang Mai. There were over 30 participants as last years walk. We hope to double that number on 19 October 2024 walk.
TRAGAST is also planning several Human Trafficking Awareness Events, most featuring the movie "The Sound of Freedom". Our next one will be on 8 November at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Bangkok.
The TRAGAST Mission is to enable and assist our community to take action to eliminate human trafficking and human exploitation through awareness and specific projects, especially prevention.
My friend and mentor Matt Friedman recently mentioned that on his birthday he had gifted copies of his book “Dancing in the Light of the Moon” to his Linked In community as a way of raising awareness and giving something back. This is one of the books I’ve read in the past year and it is truly excellent. I thought this bulletin might be a good opportunity to recommend a few books that inspire me to continue the fight against child trafficking:
Matt's latest book, at least that I have read, is Awakening the Advocate - Memoirs of a Modern Slavery Activist. When you read this book you will be reminded that it's crucial that we do something! What that something might be will depend on our individual abilities and circumstances.
Dancing in the Light of the Moon is written as a novel which was inspired by true events from many interviews and extensive research Matt conducted in different parts of India. It's very powerful!
Where Were You? - A Profile of Modern Slavery. Written by Matt Friedman and published in 2021. The question 'Where Were You? was asked by a young victim of sex trafficking. This book is not ordinary, pleasant or even nice. It is essential for those of us who want to start to understand the hell that is human trafficking.
Be The Hero - Be the Change is one of my favorite books by Matt Friedman. The whole point of the book is to inspire all of us to do one thing. Friedman believes that the collective actions of ordinary people have the greatest chance of effecting a real transformation. He considers everyone who volunteers, no matter how big or small the gesture, to be heroic.
All these books and many more are available on Amazon.
Scam centers are beginning to get a lot of attention, as they should. Human trafficking into scam centers demonstrates the evil caused by greed that is so terribly prevalent in our world today. Known cyber scam centers have been identified:
Cambodia: Sihanoukville. Poipet.
Laos: Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.
Myanmar: Laukkai (on the border with China) Myawaddy (on the border with Thailand) and nearby: KK Park. Shwe Kokko. Mong La (on the border with China)
The rapid increase in this cruel criminal activity is fueled by the greed of organized crime throughout the region. One report I read mentioned $3.8 Billion USD in 2023. Another report mentions $64 Billion. The United Nations also reports scam centers in the Philippines.
Cambodian journalist Mech Dara has reported extensively on human trafficking and exposed cyber scams in his country. 1 October the New York Times and BBC reported that he has been arrested.
Photo by New York Times
Last year he was awarded the US State Department’s human trafficking Hero Award.
You can learn more by simply looking up “scam centers southeast Asia”.
TRAGAST invites you to attend a special event to raise awareness of human trafficking featuring the film The Sound of Freedom. There is no charge to see the film. However seating is limited. Reserve your seat today. email to info@tragast.org.
Details:
The movie is complimentary and has Thai Subtitlesคำบรรยายไทย. However, there are only 80 seats available. Registration is easy, just
click hereor send an email totreasurer@tragast.orgto guarantee your seat.
Agenda:
15:00 Welcome (Foreign Correspondent's Club Bangkok) - Penthouse, Maneeya Center 518/5 Ploenchit Road
15:30 Screening of "The Sound of Freedom"
18:00 Closing Comments - Speaker is Peerasin Chatchawart, A21 Thailand Country Manager
18:30 Optional Dinner
20:30 Bon Voyage
Registration for Movie – complimentary. There are only 60 seats available.
Registration for Dinner on or before 6 November:฿600
Registration at the door 8 November, if not sold out: ฿1,500
For payment just transfer funds to:
Bangkok Bank
Pratu Chang Phuak Branch
125 Chang phuak Rd, T.Sriphum A. Muang
Chiangmai 50300 Thailand
Swift Code: BKKBTHBK
Account Number: 531-0-932891
Name on Account: GERALD EDWARD NELSON & PONGSAWART NIYOMCA
Sponsorship opportunities are available. They include special seating, up to 4 complimentary dinner tickets and promotion of your organization.
We are a consortium that only uses taxis that have been vetted. They are all excellent drivers with safe cars.
We are happy to provide you a ride to a single destination or a customized journey with many stops. Whatever your needs, you will receive the best possible taxi service at very reasonable rates. Thank you for supporting us as we support the fight against human trafficking!
To contact us :
Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai/Mae Hong Son and all Northern Provinces)
Line : 0839919624
Mobile : +66-83-991-9624
WhatsApp : +66-83-991-9624
Facebook : S.Joeytravel
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Bangkok/Pattaya/Hua-hin
Line : angiejones11
Mobile : +66-86-575-8437
WhatsApp : +66-86-575-8437
Facebook : AngieTaxiPattaya
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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS AS THEY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING!
