Research Aim and Objective
Since 2016, Human rights watch, interviewed 250 current and former labor in the fishing industry regarding working hours, occupational health and safety recruitment practices, salaries, payment and similar issues. It was found that majority of people are facing issue of forced labour and human trafficking in Thai fishing industry. It has been evaluated that government of Thailand has designed high standard practices and undertaken initiatives in order to clean up the sector and portray its better image at a global level. However even after the initiatives and practices of government, the situation has not changed substantially. On the basis of large-scale survey of 496 fishers in 2012, it was found that one worker among five stated that their employer abuse their rights at workplace and forced them for long working hours on small pay scales in Fishing industry. In Thailand, there are large numbers of workers who have turned away from low skilled, labour-intensive profession. Due to this situation in Thailand, labour shortage has occurred in various industries which have resulted in the increase of the numbers of migrant’s workers from different countries such as Cambodia, Laos PDR, Myanmar etc. Thai Fishing industry has turned to cheap migrants to meet the labour needs and the pay is very low for long working hours. The industry is still labour intensive has not efficiently upgraded to technological support. The survey of Human right Watch revealed that migrants who voluntarily enter into the country for employment are forced to stay in the country by owners or brokers. Forced labour has resulted in abuse of power and illegal captivation of labour.
The workers of Thailand fishing industry revealed that they were forced to work through intimidation and violence. Many workers stated that they were not being paid at all. Human right Watch reported that many of the workers works for long hours with little pay and are abused by the captain, owner, and shipper.
Migrants from underdeveloped countries who are looking for jobs are the key labourers within the industry. The Government of Thailand has responded that there is a critical need to restructure the legal obligations and framework on the industry. Issuing new regulation to regulate the fishing industry will help in controlling the stated issue within the country. The current investigation is to identify the issue of forced labour and human trafficking in Thailand’s Fishing Industry. A detailed description will be outlined in this research, regarding the issue of forced labour and migrants whose rights are being abused in the fishing industry. The main aim of this research proposal is to discuss the issue of migrants and labourers captivated in the industry and whose rights are being regularly abused for business growth and profitability. To address this research aim, the researcher will apply different methods to develop an effectiv research methodology. Aspects of data collection, research technique, sampling, research design etc. Will be critically examined and developed to attain reliable research results. Furthermore, qualitative research technique will be applied in the investigation to collect primary information about forced labour and violence. By conducting a survey of 25 migrants’ in Thailand, the researcher will carry out investigation to find relevant information. This will help the researcher in successfully attaining the research objectives. Furthermore, a short summary of the literature review will also outline in the proposal through which detail knowledge and understanding of the subject can gain by the researcher. In the literature review section, various topics related to Human rights violation, human trafficking, the Fishing industry of Thailand, the Human right violation in Thailand’s fishing industry, Legal and ethical standpoint etc will discuss.
Research Design
The aim of the research is ‘To identify the issue of forced labour and human trafficking in Thailand’s Fishing Industry’. The research objectives are:
- To understand the theoretical concept of human rights violation and human trafficking
- To Identify the issue of forced labour and human trafficking faced by Thailand’s Fishing Industry
- To assess the legislation and ethical consideration that needed to consider in the fishing industry of Thailand
In the research methodology, research design is a blueprint that allows the researcher to use strategy for conducting research and to attain appropriate solution of the research problem. In simple words, it can be said that research design is set of methods that are used for collecting and analysing measures of the variables. It is a framework that is created for finding the solution to the research issue. It is a specific design and systematic approach that the investigator uses to conduct the scientific investigation to synchronize determined elements and information in plausible result. It helps in to find out the appropriate solution of the research problem. There is diverse range of research design such as Exploratory, Descriptive, experimental etc.
In the current research study, the scholar will apply exploratory research design to conduct the investigation and attain a solution for the stated research issue. The aim of the research is to examine the issue on Forced labour and human trafficking in Thailand’s Fishing Industry. Thus, to collect information and solve research issue, the researcher will apply exploratory research design. This design is conducted for research problem which are new and has no past information and for references. Qualitative research technique will be applied in the study which will help the scholar in collecting significant background information. It will also help in effectively defining the terms of the research problems. This design serves as a technique for initial research that delivers a hypothetical and theoretical idea of the research issue.
Research methodology is a part which provides information and detail analysis of tools and techniques which will help in attaining information on research issue. It is a systematic procedure of data collection, analysis and interpretation so as an effective outcome can obtain regarding a subject. To examine the issue of Forced labour and human trafficking in Thailand’s Fishing Industry, scholar will apply several methods of research that has been described in below:
Research Philosophy- A research philosophy is a belief about the criteria that provides knowledge to the scholar about to gather, analyze and use the information. There are major two kinds of philosophy which are positivism and interpretivism. In the positivism research philosophy, scholar believes that reality is stable and can be analyzed from an objective viewpoint. On the other hand in the interpretivism philosophy, uses for hypothesis to draw a valid conclusion and attain the appropriate solution of the research study. For the current study, positivism research philosophy will be applied. This will help the researcher in gathering valid and reliable information about the issue of Forced labour and human trafficking in Thailand’s Fishing Industry and will provide a systematic path to conduct an investigation.
Research Method
Research Approach- Research approach provides the researcher a clear direction and path for conducting an investigation and solving the major issue regarding the problem analysis. It includes inductive and deductive research approach. Deductive research approach starts with a hypothesis formation and emphasis on general causality while inductive research approach uses research questions to narrow down the scope of the study. The current research study aims to identify the issue of the Forced labour and human trafficking in Thailand’s fishing industry. To address the actual outcome of this study, inductive research approach will be suitable. This will help the researcher in developing an effective base for social research. Research objectives and research questions will be successfully addressed through the selected approach.
Research Technique- Research technique states a systematic plan for conducting the investigation and draws a perfect solution according to research aim and objectives. The categorization of research technique has been done in two parts that is qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative research is primarily exploratory research that applied within the study to gain an understanding of opinion, motivations, and reasons. Qualitative research is used to uncover trends and data collection methods varying by use of semi-structured and structured techniques. In the current research study, the aim is to identify the issue of forced labour and human trafficking in Thailand’s Fishing Industry. Hence, to collect information, scholar will apply qualitative research technique by which information will gather from a survey. This will help in successfully collecting human perception about the issue.
Data collection- Data collection is another one crucial method in research method through which information is collected for the research subject. Primary data collection and secondary data collection methods are the two commonly known measures. In the primary data collection, information is gathered through various primary sources such as survey, interview, group discussion, face to face interaction, observation etc. This information is fresh information and has not been used in the previous research studies. Secondary data collection gathers from secondary source such as books, journals articles, blogs, internet, magazines, newspapers etc. The present research will use both primary and secondary data collection for address research objective. To collect fresh information related to issues of forced labour and human trafficking prevailing in Thailand’s Fishing, a scholar will conduct a survey from 25 migrants. This will help in attaining the first hand and fresh information on the subject. A systematic questionnaire will be designed to attain relevant and valid information about the subject. Secondary data collection will helps in attaining information for literature review. The information will be collected from different sources such as books, journals, past researches, news articles, company information etc.
Sampling- Sampling is another method that considers in the research methodology by which scholar selects some group of people in the research study. There are major two kinds of sampling type that is probability sampling and non-probability sampling. In the probability sampling method, every respondent has the equal chance of being selected whereas in the non-probability sampling respondents have not an equal chance to be chosen. In the present research study random sampling technique will be applied which will help in selecting 25 people for the survey. This technique will provide equal chance to every member of population to be selected thus minimizing the chances of biases in the research.
Conducting research is challenging as it focuses on ensuring effective and well defined ethical consideration for the evaluation. It is the moral duty of the researcher to consider ethical obligations at the time of data collection and conducting other activities of research. Following are ethical consideration that will be considered by the researcher-
Psychological ethic- The researcher will ensure to respect the confidentiality and privacy of primary information collected from the respondents. The information will be collected from Migrants working in Thailand. It will be ensured that all personal information of respondents is kept confidential. The researcher has no right to disclose any personal information of respondents for any personal or professional purpose. This kind of ethical behaviour develops the trust and loyalty among researcher and respondents.
Social Ethic- It is also very important to provide proper respect to every participant in the research. It is very important moral and social value to abide to social responsibility, human rights, animal welfare, public health etc. The researchers will ensure to comply with the stated ethical behaviour.
Physical ethic-It is a moral responsibility of scholar to attain free will of the respondents. No physical pressure must be used for participation in the research. Researcher should provide proper facility and environment for survey to respondents where they cannot face uncertain accident and physical hazard.
Legal Ethic- In this ethic researcher should follow all kinds of legislation and law related to information, confidentiality, human rights etc so as every activity can accomplish in safe and secure manner and no one can get loss and harm.
Financial ethic- The researcher should focus on budget and estimated budget should meet in the research process. This ethical behaviour ensures authenticity of the study.
Other ethics- Another main ethic is related to reliability, validity, and use of relevant and authentic information in the study. It is very important for the scholar to use relevant, reliable, authentic and valid information about the subject in the study. Wrong, false and inappropriate information in data collection can directly affect the result of the study in a negative manner. Another main ethic is regarding biases and freedom in the data collection. The researcher should allow all respondents to freely share their views, opinion, suggestion, and advice in the survey. Forcefully gathering of information may influence the outcome of the study in a negative manner through which the researcher would not able to achieve research objective.
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