Data for Justice: Potentials and Challenges in Using State Records for Human Trafficking Research in Thailand
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Abstract
Human trafficking remains one of the most complex and structurally embedded forms of crime. In Thailand, efforts to address trafficking have often focused on legal reforms, inter-agency collaborations, and international cooperation. However, academic research on human trafficking in the Thai context continues to rely primarily on secondary sources such as NGO reports and victim interviews, while state-generated data - particularly from law enforcement agencies - remains underutilized. This article examines the potential and challenges of using state-held data, including police case files, investigative reports, and court documents, as empirical sources for trafficking research.
The paper argues that such data can provide invaluable insight into the structural and procedural dynamics of trafficking cases, including patterns of exploitation, offender-victim interactions, and state responses. Drawing on domestic and international case studies, the article demonstrates how law enforcement records can inform more nuanced understandings of complex realities, challenge reductionist victim narratives, and expose institutional biases and systemic shortcomings. At the same time, it critically assesses the ethical, legal, and institutional risks of using sensitive data, particularly in cases involving minors or undocumented migrants.
Based on this analysis, the article offers practical guidelines and policy recommendations for fostering collaborative research frameworks between academics and state agencies in Thailand. These include promoting data ethics grounded in human dignity, ensuring academic independence, and establishing structured agreements to govern access and use of sensitive information. Ultimately, the article contends that using law enforcement data responsibly and ethically is not only a technical matter, but also a normative choice that can help bridge micro-level case findings with macro-level policy design. Such an approach holds significant potential to advance evidence-based policymaking that is context-sensitive, human rights-oriented, and systemically informed.
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