Rights in poorer nations must be upheld as Thai firms go abroad, activists say

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  • Rights in poorer nations must be upheld as Thai firms go abroad, activists say
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-landrights-lawsuit-analysis/rights-in-poorer-nations-must-be-upheld-as-thai-firms-go-abroad-activists-s

    It is the first time plaintiffs from another country have filed a class-action lawsuit against a Thai company in a Thai court over its operations outside Thailand.

    The two plaintiffs represent about 3,000 people who say they were forcibly removed from their homes and land in five villages in Oddar Meanchey province in Cambodia’s northwest, to make way for a Mitr Pohl sugarcane plantation between 2008 and 2009.

    As cross-border investments in the region increase to tap resources, markets and cheaper labor, cases such as these will become more common because of differences in legislation and inadequate protections for workers and residents, experts said.

    “This is about ensuring that Thai companies respect human rights in the countries they operate in, and holding them accountable for violations,” said Sor Rattanamanee Polkla at the Community Resource Centre, which is representing the plaintiffs.

    “There is no Thai law against irresponsible outbound investment, and countries like Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar do not have proper frameworks for environmental and social impact assessments. We had no choice but to file a suit,” she said.

    The plaintiffs are asking for their land to be returned and 4 million baht ($130,000) in total compensation, she said.

    #Cambodge #Thaïlande #agroindustrie #canne_à_sucre #terres #drots_humain