SONGKHLA: -- Thai and Malaysian police will take joint action to combat the cross-border the trade in involuntary sex workers between the two neighbouring nations.

Ninth Police Region commissioner Pol. Lt-Gen. Panya Tiensart presided over a joint seminar entitled ''Save Our Daughters'' in Songkhla to adopt joint measures for the Thai and Malaysian police to combat forced prostitution along the common border.

Areas where prostitution had intensified over the past several years included Betong, Sugai Kolok, Sadao and Hat Yai in Thailand as well as seven states inside Malaysia.

Police questioning of trafficking suspects as well as victims and witnesses will be jointly conducted by Thai and Malaysian police.

Information pertaining to the trafficking underworld will be exchanged by the two sides, and witness protection programmes will be provided.

Some 532 officially documented children and women were reported to have been lured or forced into prostitution by both male and female procurers during the past several years, including 489 Thai nationals, with the remainder being nationals of Cambodia. Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, including Karen and Shan ethnic groups. (TNA)

-- TNA 2008-08-14