Human trafficking: Thailand stays at Tier 3, but hope remains for upgrade

The US has kept Thailand at the lowest rank in its latest Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, but the local US embassy has voiced encouragement for Thai leaders to build on recent achievements which were not considered in the report.

Please join us on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/bangkokpostlearning

Thai police carrying out inspections of fishing boats using migrant labourers last May, after the TIP reporting period ended. TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD

Govt plays down Tier 3 status quo

Trafficking report inaccurate, it says

Bangkok Post and AFP

The United States' decision to keep Thailand in Tier 3 of its Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report does not accurately reflect the significant efforts undertaken by the government to tackle the problem, the Foreign Ministry says.

The report said Thailand has been kept in the lowest rank because it has failed to make sufficient efforts to eliminate human trafficking.

According to the ministry, Thailand has acted on the problem with a string of measures in prosecution and law enforcement, policy implementation and protection. The government is concerned that the report, with a cut-off date of March, fails to take into account its latest efforts.

In the latest TIP report, the US accuses Thailand, Russia, Iran and Libya of taking insufficient action to tackle trafficking, in a damning report on a global scourge which the State Department decried as "modern slavery".

A total of 23 countries are in Tier 3. They also include: Algeria, Kuwait, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, North Korea, and South Sudan.

It said Thailand did not fully comply with the minimum standards of eradicating trafficking and also failed to make any significant effort to do so.

It made limited efforts to enforce the law and failed to adequately report figures for cases which arose during the reporting period (which ended on March 31.)

The ranking, compiled annually by the State Department, was announced by Secretary of State John Kerry.

By contrast, Malaysia, which had plummeted last year to the lowest rung, was raised a notch this year to the "Watch List" category of Tier 2, after Kuala Lumpur exhibited "significant efforts" in fighting the trafficking.

In June, Lt Gen Manas Kongpan became the face of the trafficking gangs and the campaign against them when the government arrested him and charged him despite his status as an "adviser" if the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) in the South. AFP photo

Earlier, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha played down the importance of the much-awaited report, saying he is more focused on how to continue with the progress which the government has made to stop human trafficking.

Speaking before the report's release, the premier said he was not worried about whether the United States upgraded Thailand or not.

Fixing the system and trying to end human trafficking would take time, Gen Prayut said.

However, he said the government is confident it has improved its anti-human trafficking efforts in recent months.

From our Online reporters:

The US Embassy, meanwhile, issued a separate statement on human trafficking late Monday, recognising steps taken between April and July by the government but calling for more effort.

"We continue to urge Thai government officials to take bold steps to combat trafficking throughout the ongoing 2016 reporting period and beyond," said the embassy statement, referring to the next Trafficking in Persons report in a year.

The embassy noted popular resentment that this year's report failed to take note of the main achievements by Thailand, which took place after the March 31 deadline for submitting material.

"We welcome additional efforts by the Thai government since March 31 to fight trafficking in persons, including efforts to create special units within criminal courts to adjudicate trafficking cases and the arrests of dozens possibly involved in human trafficking crimes and other abuses against migrants in southern Thailand," it said.

"Actions taken after March 31 will be covered in next year’s report."

สามารถฝึกอ่านออกเสียงและดูคำแปลได้ที่ : http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/636608/human-trafficking-thailand-stays-at-tier-3-but-hope-remains-for-upgrade-next-year