reallives3

The story of Tuk and Tik In early 2000 Tuk and Tik were trafficked to the south of
Thailand to work.
Although Tuk was bright and doing well at school, she left at the end of the 4th
year when she was nine years old to bring in extra income for the family. She
worked as a flower seller, however, the family continued to struggle financially.
Tuk decided to travel to Thailand, hoping she would be able to find work and
send more money home. Tuk left when she was 17, accompanied by her younger
sister Tik, who was 15. Tuk left her 6 month old baby in her mother’s care.
A woman from a neighbouring village took them over the Thai border at the
Friendship Bridge on a three day visitors pass and onto Sum Pon in the south of
the country. Tuk and Tik had been promised well-paid jobs and that they would be
able to send money home to their family. Instead, they were forced to work in bars
in fishing ports in south Thailand, providing sexual services for customers. They
had to serve an average of five clients a day, receiving between 300 and 500 baht
(approximately £4 to £7) per client, all of which went to the bar owner. When Tik
refused to go with one client the bar owner beat her. Two years later Tik still pays
regular visits to the hospital as a result of the injuries incurred.
Fortunately, four months after their arrival in Thailand the girls were rescued in a
police raid on the bar just before they were to be trafficked again, this time to
Malaysia. They were placed at the Kred Trakarn centre where they received
counselling, medical care and training in flower arranging and embroidery. In
addition, having been to school for four years Tuk was able to teach other Lao
girls in the centre how to read and write.
Whilst at the Kred Trakarn centre the woman who took them into Thailand, the
“broker”, made contact with the girls’ parents telling them that Tuk and Tik were
in prison and requested them to send 40-50,000 baht to the bar owner to get the
girls released. The broker also demanded the parent’s sign a statement saying
that the girls had travelled to Thailand voluntarily and had not been coerced. The
girls’ parents refused to do so.
Tuk and Tik returned to their family home, a small village just outside Vientiane in
Lao, in February 2002 having spent two years in Thailand. Tuk now sells
vegetables while Tik works in a factory making T-shirts. The money they earn
helps to ensure their seven siblings go to school.
Despite Tik’s efforts, the broker, the woman who took them to Thailand has not
been prosecuted. In fact, although brokers such as her are well known trafficking
is still rife and two girls from the village are still missing in Thailand. Angry that
nothing is being done Tik has even appeared on television to highlight the issue
and make other girls aware of the dangers of travelling to Thailand.
There is however a happy ending to this story. Tuk is getting married and is
hoping to start a family of her own, taking care that none of her children or
siblings are trafficked in the future while Tik aims to be a tailor. She is currently
saving the necessary funds to set up a small shop.