On August 13, 2025
at Mae Wang Witthayakhom School, Don Pao Subdistrict, Mae Wang District, Chiang Mai Province
Center for Crime Science, in collaboration with the Lively Awareness Promotion Project and with support from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), implemented the project “Prevention of Human Trafficking Crimes in the Forms of Online Sexual Exploitation and Forced Labor through Deceptive Recruitment into Call Center Scams” between July and October 2025.
The project aims to build resilience among youth and vulnerable groups in northern Thailand, particularly in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces. One of the project sites was Mae Wang Wittayakhom School (target group: 216 students), located in Don Pao Subdistrict, Mae Wang District, Chiang Mai Province. The school serves as the main secondary school in the district, with approximately 50% of students belonging to Karen and Hmong ethnic groups—most of whom come from mountain areas to continue their education. Students have relatively free access to the internet, which increases their risk of being deceived or exploited online.
The project activities included PowerPoint lectures, video presentations, role-playing sessions, group games, and interactive discussions, enabling participants to learn from the real experiences of experts. The core content covered:
The current situation of human trafficking and online threats
Grooming and sexual exploitation processes
Self-protection and evidence preservation
Reporting incidents and seeking help from relevant authorities
A simple safety principle was introduced to help students remember:
“NO – GO – TELL”
Don’t delete – Don’t talk to offenders → Go to a trusted adult → Tell someone to get help
Findings from the field revealed that many students had received pornographic images from strangers, been deceived in online purchases, or interacted with unknown individuals through games and social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Discord. These platforms were identified as key risk channels for online human trafficking.
The project successfully enhanced knowledge, understanding, and awareness of human trafficking and online threats among youth. Students became more capable of protecting themselves, sharing knowledge with peers, and accessing support services appropriately. Schools responded positively, with some inviting the team to conduct additional sessions. The project serves as a model for applying crime science principles to community-based crime prevention in a tangible and practical way.
