Collaboration and Contradictions
Examining public authorities and NGOs cooperation in anti-trafficking efforts in Thailand
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Ellen Mårdsjö & Othilia Vinblad von Walter
Supervisor: Anna-Karin Eriksson Seminar date: 2026-01-15
Political science bachelor’s degree
Independent work, 15 HP
Abstract
This thesis examines how public authorities and NGOs collaborate in anti-trafficking work in Thailand, and how this collaboration is experienced and negotiated in practice. The study focuses on two research questions. The first asks how local public authorities and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) collaborate in anti-trafficking work. The second asks how this dynamic can be understood using the theoretical perspectives applied in the study.
Empirically, the study is based on ten qualitative interviews with actors working in the
anti-trafficking field, analysed through thematic content analysis. The analysis is organised around three themes, which are collaboration in practice, priorities, and social hierarchies. The findings indicate that collaboration is widely described as necessary for victim identification, referrals and support, but also as consistently constrained by organisational conditions that actors cannot easily change. Collaboration is often enabled through informal relationships, personal trust and everyday digital communication, which can make coordination flexible but also person-dependent and vulnerable to staff turnover. The interview material also describes corruption and weak accountability as structural barriers shaping incentives, case selection and trust. Finally, the study suggests that victim recognition is influenced not only by formal legal definitions but also by social hierarchies related to gender, age, nationality and migration status, which has implications for who gains access to protection processes.
Keywords: human trafficking, Thailand, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), public authorities, collaboration, cooperation, corruption, victim recognitio
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
Human trafficking is a global crime found in every region. Most victims are identified within their countries, and when cases do involve cross-border movement, they typically remain within the same region. Trafficking is widespread and highly profitable, generating an estimated 150 billion USD each year (United Nations Thailand, 2024). The United Nations defines human trafficking as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit” (United Nations, n.d.). In Thailand, human trafficking is shaped by structural vulnerability and regional migration flows, which increases the need for collaboration across agencies and organisations. Implementation is complicated by corruption, limited resources and the transnational character of trafficking networks (Thammasiri, 2024, pp. 12-13). Vulnerability is linked to socio-economic conditions such as poverty and limited access to education, and gender inequality and uneven development can push people into informal and poorly regulated work (Thammasiri, 2024, p. 12). Trafficking affects both Thai nationals and migrants, and includes both sexual exploitation and forced labor, which places pressure on systems for identification, referral and support (United Nations Thailand, 2024). Given that many forced labor cases are linked to private-sector workplaces and supply chains, risks can also arise through business partners and subcontractors, not only through direct state contact (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2025).
Thailand’s legal and policy response is grounded in the UN Palermo Protocol, which frames anti-trafficking work around prevention, protection, and collaboration between relevant actors (UN General Assembly, 2000). At the national level, the law Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act B.E 2551 (2008) criminalises trafficking-related acts and assigns central responsibilities for implementation and victim protection to state authorities, including the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS). The Act also outlines key victim support measures such as shelter, healthcare, rehabilitation and legal assistance, as well as protections such as non-punishment for offences committed under force(Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act B.E. 2551, 2008). However, how this framework functions in practice shapes the collaboration between the state and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Previous assessments and interviewees suggest that NGOs are not fully involved in victim identification, that communication can weaken once victims enter state shelters, and that slow or complex procedures can delay coordination and limit information sharing between authorities and NGOs (Rapid Asia, 2022, p. 61). At the same time, the Thai government’s own reporting presents NGO partnerships as a core strength, highlighting joint training and cooperation across prevention, protection and prosecution, including NGO involvement in developing guidelines for officials (Royal Thai Government, 2022, pp. 1-4).
To read the entire thesis please go to https://seatect.org/Resources
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