Abstract:
Economic exploitation of children remains a serious problem occurring in many countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.
Such exploitative practices not only violate children's human rights but also have negative impacts on their physical, mental and social
development. This study aims to analyze the legal regulations and the effectiveness of legal protection for child victims of economic
exploitation in Indonesia and Thailand, as well as to identify obstacles in their implementation. The research method employed is
normative legal research using statutory, conceptual, and comparative approaches. Data were obtained through library research on
national legislation, international legal instruments, and relevant legal literature. The findings indicate that Indonesia and Thailand have
established legal frameworks governing the protection of children from economic exploitation, both through national legislation and the
ratification of international instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and ILO Conventions. However, the
effectiveness of legal protection implementation in both countries still faces various challenges, including weak law enforcement, lack
of inter-agency coordination, social stigma against victims, and socio-economic factors that contribute to child exploitation. Therefore,
strengthening legal substance, enhancing the capacity of law enforcement officials, consistently applying a restorative justice approach,
and increasing active community participation are necessary to achieve more effective and sustainable legal protection for child victims
of economic exploitation.
