Thonglim Khampiranon

Thonglim Khampiranon came to Southern California in 1991 with two other women in order to earn money to support her family in Thailand. Supawan Veerapol, a well-respected Thai woman in Los Angeles, promised the women $240 a month for working six days a week in her home and her Thai restaurant. But instead, she was thrust into a life of slavery.

"I would wake up about 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning and start cleaning the house. Around 10:00, Supawon would then take me to the restaurant. I'd work there until about midnight. When I got back home, I could only have a few hours sleep and then I had to wake up and start cleaning the house again the next morning... She didn't allow me to see other Thai people. She told me they were bad. And because I was here illegally, I shouldn't see other people... Supawon told me that killing someone in Thailand would only cost $120. Supawon said she could hire a killer...My family was living on her property in Thailand. I was very afraid for my family."

After six years, Thonglim escaped from Veerapol's home. Veerapol is now serving eight years in a California prison on several charges, not including the enslavement of Thonglim.

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