Mr Surapong said state agencies seldom arrest human trafficking gangs, instead they punish the victims, pushing them back into the hands of traffickers.
The subcommittee reported that about 2,000 new refugees registered with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner in Thailand last year. The number soared to 7,000 between January and July this year.
The victims come from countries such as Syria, Turkey, Egypt and Afghanistan to escape civil wars, political problems and religious conflicts.
According to the LCT’s subcommittee, brokers lure refugees to escape their homeland for a third country, using Thailand as a transit destination and charging them for the process. Upon landing in Thailand,the refugees are arrested by Thai officials at the airport for using fake passports.
Phromlak Sakpichaimongkol, an LCT lawyer who takes on exploited refugee cases, said the victims are then charged again by the gang in Thailand.