Trapped in the Kitchen of the world
The situation for migrant workers in Thailand’s poultry industry
The global consumption of chicken is increasing more rapidly than any other meat product. For the report “Trapped in the Kitchen of the World”, Swedwatch interviewed 98 migrant workers from Cambodia and Myanmar, working at six chicken factories in Thailand. The factories export poultry products to Sweden and other EU countries. The interviewed workers testify to an environment in which rights are infringed upon and where they are being exploited by employers and recruitment agents on a daily basis. Child labour at ages below 15 years is reported by interviewed workers at three of the factories. Workers trapped in debt bondage and other abusive situations were found among the interviewees at all included factories. The report also exposes how European buyers and importers of poultry meat from Thailand have failed in their responsibility to perform due diligence on potential adverse human rights impacts, according to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
