Pope Francis called for the respect of prostitutes and victims of human trafficking during a mass at the stadium in Bangkok today.

The 82-year-old pope appeared today at the Thai national stadium in a golden robe woven with silk, waving about 60,000 people to the ceremony hosted by him. Many cried when they saw the Pope, the leader of 1.3 billion Catholics in the world.

In his speech, Pope Francis focused on the message of helping vulnerable children and women "who have been victims of prostitution, human trafficking and burying the most fundamental dignity".

Pope Francis also mentioned drug addicts, migrants, "abused offenders and ignored beggars". "They are all part of our family. They are our mothers, our brothers and sisters. Let us not let people forget their faces, hurt, smiles and lives", Church Huang said.

Trafficking and human trafficking are a serious problem in Thailand, where at least 300,000 prostitutes and about four-fifths of them are believed to be trafficked.

Many women are drawn into prostitution because they can earn 10 times the minimum wage. Critics say some corrupt authorities in Thailand are turning a blind eye to prostitution.

Today's Mass is celebrated as part of Pope Francis' three-day visit to Thailand. This was his first visit to Thailand, a country with a majority Buddhist population and only about 400,000 Catholics. Before the Mass, the Pope visited Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and King Maha Vajirusongkorn.

The Pope will leave for Japan on November 23, where he will visit the memorials of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.