Mark Capaldi (center), chief of research and policy
for ECPAT International, listens to stories and problems associated with child
migration.
Warunya Thongrod
ECPAT International has chosen Pattaya as a site for research into
migration of children who often end up homeless or exploited.
Mark Capaldi, head researcher for the child-welfare organization, listened to
stories and problems associated with child migration at a city hall session
sponsored by the Pattaya Social Development Office.
Capaldi currently is doing research for the Institute of Human Rights and Peace
Studies at Mahidol University on the vulnerabilities of child migrants in
Thailand. His research covers children’s freedom in making decisions, acting
independently, and their potential to battle against problems.
Once final, the research will be used in presenting policies and operations to
protect children and reduce risks of unsafe migration. Pattaya was chosen as a
research site not only because of the prevalence of the problem here, but the
city’s established network of public- and private-sector welfare agencies.
“The research has revealed that children migrating freely within Thailand are
from three nationalities: Thai, Burmese, Cambodian,” Capaldi said. “There are
two main reasons for migration, consisting of looking for jobs, since their
birthplace is poor, and some leave their home due to child abuse.”
“The moment they leave home, they are thrown into a harsh circumstance since
they are homeless and sleep on the roadside. Therefore, they are at risk of
being used for other’s benefits, such as hard labor with little compensation and
tricked into prostitution,” he continued.
