Charges filed against Thai factory used by Tesco

After catching heat for what critics considered a half-assed investigation, Thai police have now filed criminal charges against a factory used by Tesco. VK Garment Factory, a clothing factory in Mae Sot used to produce F&F clothes has been charged over its treatment of workers.

The charges for fraud claim that the factory used workers’ bank cards illegally, withheld immigration documents, and forced workers to work overtime. Burmese workers who produced F&F jeans for Tesco in Thailand reported being made to work 99-hour weeks for illegally low pay in appalling conditions.

The factory was alleged to have covered its tracks by opening fake bank accounts where they “paid” the legal wage, though the workers were paid separately with cash.

Thai police were criticised over their inquiry into…