Surin brings welfare groups into ba

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Subject: Surin brings welfare groups into battle against prostitution 

		Politics 

Surin brings welfare groups into battle against prostitution


FOREIGN Minister Surin Pitsuwan on Wednesday pledged closer cooperation
with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in tackling prostitution,
including the problems facing women and children smuggled from neighbouring
countries. 

Surin said Thailand shares a border running some 5,656 kilometres with its
neighbours and that the country needs to deal with the challenge in
cooperation with other bodies because it could face a potential threat in
the future. 

Speaking at the opening of a seminar on ''The Role of The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in Helping to Improve the Image of Women and Children'',
Surin said the ministry will take a pro-active role in trying to rectify
the country's image. 

He said the government has taken a pro-active role on a number of issues
since coming into office and it would continue in its efforts to ensure
maximum benefits for the country. 

''In the age of globalisation, the international community is setting the
standard on various issues such as the environment and human rights and
using these in their negotiations in trade and investment. Based on moral
and ethical principles, we are trying to improve the standards and by doing
so will help increase our negotiating power in the international arena,''
he said. 

Surin said the NGOs' input would be sent to the 80 Thai embassies and
consulates worldwide. 

Saisuree Jutikul, former minister of the prime minister's office, said that
although Thailand has adopted a covenant on children's rights and an anti-
prostitution bill, it still lacks sincere adherence to the law at the
working level. 

She said officials at the operational level are lenient and feel that it is
not a priority to enforce these laws. 

She proposed that the ministry include the issues in its joint commission
during bilateral talks with neighbouring countries in order to help
non-Thai women and children who are repatriated to their home country with
re-integration, rehabilitation and to help prevent their return to Thailand. 

''The issue should be included, for example, during talks with Burma so
that by the year 2000 we could have a declaration among countries in the
Mekong region and Malaysia,'' she said. 

She also called for the Foreign Ministry to provide an accurate figure for
the number of prostitutes and encouraged Thailand to take the lead in the
international arena as it has already signed the covenant on children's
rights but has certain reservations with regard to nationality. 

Thailand does not acknowledge it has refugees in the country, saying those
taking temporary refuge are displaced persons. 

According to the UN Convention on Children's rights, every child is
entitled to a nationality. 

MP Ladawan Wongsriwong's efforts to educate young girls in the Northeast
has been successful in reducing the number of girls in the sex trade while
countries such as Japan still consider Thailand as a haven for prostitution. 

Sanpasit Khumprahun, said it was important to work with the correct
statistics in order to help the country deal effectively with the problem. 


BY RITA PATIYASEVI 
The Nation