The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights is leaving Thailand tomorrow after a low-key, 10-day visit. Members of the international group have consulted with the government and met business representatives. Their presence is as welcome as their ultimate goal. This is to show business operators that mistreatment of workers is not only illegal and unethical, but ultimately hurts their bottom line.
The group works under the aegis of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Its mission is to encourage businesses worldwide to "promote good practices and lessons learned". It has an official motto: "Protect, Respect and Remedy". Some countries invite group members to visit, others reluctantly allow their presence. Inevitably, some resist or bar the group, but there is also a valuable lesson there -- some countries don't wish the world to know how abusive their tax-paying businesses can be.
Sadly, there has never been a shortage of serious problems between business and workers in this country. And it's not only Thai workers who have suffered from this. Migrant labour in recent years has been a virtual mother lode of abuse, ranging from simply forcing overtime and supplying low-standard room and board, all the way to actual violence, even death.
