Thailand downgraded to be among worst human trafficking centres

[slipperylobster]

The Thai Ambassador to the US said on BBC that the country could do more and will, he then detailed all that's being done and felt it was enough for LoS to remain in Tier 2.

Now it remains to be seen if any sort of sanctions will be imposed after 01 Oct or will the US decide that a warning to an ' old friend and ally ' will be enough ?

Does the US really think the Thais will worry about mere words from foreigners who don't understand Thainess whereas sanctions might actually get their attention ?

Of course. It is a matter of "Face" for Thailand. The military will surely get involved with this, as they are busy fixing other tarnished images of Thailand. Stand by and watch.

[Chris Lawrence]

As foreigners all our countries history is tainted with slavery, colonialism and all manner of atrocities against the people of other countries.

What made us change our ways? if in fact we have. Was it pressure from other countries, visionary statesman, a maturing of our societies?

Thailand must change but I also believe to help the change any western corporation or individual that makes even the smallest financial gain from these crimes are severely punished and ignorance cannot be used as an excuse. Those who travel to Thailand to abuse women or children should expect no leniency.

This simply has to end and the sooner the better.

Well said Oz.

[phuketrichard]

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/20/world/asia/thailand-trafficking-report/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

[cloudhopper]

Don't you think its strange the that US is suddenly taking a stand on this matter, even though its been common knowledge for years? Isn't it possible they are just looking for ways to punish the Thai Military for instigating a Coup and toppling their chosen government in power? The US knows exactly what is going on here despite all the stupid comments and stupid moves they have made. Money and power are again at the enter of the issue. As always. They got stung and they are not happy.

one to America in this issue and hope they follow through with heavy sanctions and consumers boycott all products linked with slavery

No but I do think it's strange for anyone who is at all familiar with the reported facts to come to that conclusion. The US State Dept has been warning Thailand every year for 4 years now that this would happen if nothing was done.

[pisico]

"Thailand's image" is the problem. If that is the attitude then nothing will change. The poor have always served the rich in Thailand and society is truly hierarchical. Concepts of equality for all are alien in Thailand. The law is a prime example; the law works for those who can grease the system with money. For those without money there is no chance for fairness with the law. Until mindsets change then fairness and equality will remain a foreign concept.

Can some traditions in Thainess be changed or eliminated?

According to Thainess, the person proven culpable to have caused great bodily harm or death to another human being, cannot be prosecuted if the family of the victim is monetarily compensated. Typically the family abstains from filing charges and so do the police.

No charges are filed because tradition trumps the Rule of Law and Criminal Code. For example, the driver who cut in half the girl crossing the road. The Red Bull heir who rear-ended a policeman, killed him and dragged his body 200 meters before stopping. I could go on and on, only in examples of moving vehicle fatalities.

Thainess cannot change. Is in the Thai DNA. It's all about face and money.

[wabothai]

Who gives a hood about image? Tafficing is totally wrong, to say the least.

It is dihumanizing.

[bushwacker]

<"The five products are shrimp, garments, sugarcane, pornography, and fish">

First time that i have seen the Thais publicly call <pornography> a product!!!!!

what is this about?

[Lite Beer]

Washington downgrades Thailand over human trafficking

WASHINGTON - The United States accused Thailand on Friday of allowing human trafficking, slavery and gross human rights abuses, downgrading the country's reputation to same level as Syria, Iran and North Korea.

US Secretary of State Johny Kerry released the 2014 report at what his office called a "launch ceremony". He also honoured 10 men and women involved in fighting trafficking around the world.

The decision to drop Thailand to "Tier 3" in the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report came after four consecutive years of holding Thailand on the Tier 2 warning list, and recommending the government take action.

"Thailand is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking," the report on Thailand began.

But it said that in contrast to some countries on the watch list, "Anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts remained insufficient compared with the size of the problem in Thailand, and corruption at all levels hampered the success of these efforts."

The US also dumped Malaysia and Venezuela to the bottom of the list of the world's worst human traffickers.
The report covers only calendar year 2013, and is not a reaction to the military coup, also criticised by Washington.

Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Thai ambassador to Washington, expressed disappointment with the downgrade, saying the report did not recognise Thailand's "vigorous, government-wide efforts that yielded unprecedented progress and concrete results." But he said Thailand would continue to collaborate closely with the US on combatting human trafficking and in other areas.

The US government could impose limited sanctions on Thailand beginning on Oct 1 because of the downgrade, although President Barack Obama can waive sanctions if he finds US-Thai relations "are in the national interest".

The president can block various types of aid, such as arms financing, grants for cultural and educational exchange programmes. US law says Washington must now oppose any application from Thailand for aid from the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund.

Sanctions cannot be applied to any trade because of the report.

But sanctions of any kind are unlikely, and Mr Obams is likely to cite "national security interests", as he did last year for China, Russia and Uzbekistan. The US president has 90 days to determine whether to apply sanctions against Thailand or other Tier 3 governments.

In last year's report, the US said it had "recommendations for Thailand" that included searching for victims of trafficking, step up enforcement of anti-trafficking laws and encourage the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate reports of government officials involved in human trafficking.

The US report came on the heels of the largest exodus of foreigners in history. Officials in Bangkok and Phnom Penh estimated 200,000 Cambodian migrants left Thailand in fear of military action against foreign communities. Many were believed to be trafficking victims.

Phuket has seen its share of human trafficking and slavery. A Burmese man was arrested recently after demanding B20,000 each from families for the release of four men who had worked unpaid on fishing boats for six months.

-- Phuket News 2014-06-21

[terryp]

so Thailand if you have lost face so much ....DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT stop crying...IDIOTS

[HUAHIN62]

The Thai Ambassador to the US said on BBC that the country could do more and will, he then detailed all that's being done and felt it was enough for LoS to remain in Tier 2.

Now it remains to be seen if any sort of sanctions will be imposed after 01 Oct or will the US decide that a warning to an ' old friend and ally ' will be enough ?

Does the US really think the Thais will worry about mere words from foreigners who don't understand Thainess whereas sanctions might actually get their attention ?

Considering how much time was given the this subject on the militaries live broadcast last night you can rest assured that there is a major concern over the perception of how other countries are currently viewing Thailand,it was even the first item on the broadcast!

Yes, and the military will get it sorted out... They are not screwing around now, when they say something, they mean business.

It really shows what the Thaksin regime has done for Thailand's image over the years.

The Yingluck administration got downgraded the last time and vowed to make changes..... they did nothing.... Why?

Because there was no money to be made from it for ministers.... that's why.

If their is money in it.... The PTP put 'their all' into it.

Looking forward to the huge clean up...... Many heads to roll on this one.... Maybe another gross negligence charge for Yingluck won't go amiss.

Sorry but you are wrong the downgrade came in 2010 from tier 2 to tier 2 wl, in 2010 the Dems was in power. The problem with this is the corruption at civil servant level. The political will to change things may exist but the officials are corrupt. Please stop putting all the blame of everything thats wrong in Thailand on one political party. Determine facts and then cast blame if need to, where its due. In the spirit of reconciliation the blame game should stop, wihout that the country can't move forward.

[kriswillems]

In Thailand, those in charge of fighting a certain problem, are often the organizers of the problem - those that make profits from it.

That combined with the defamation laws and lack of freedom of speech, makes it very hard to change the situation.

[JoeThePoster]

Human trafficking, animal trafficking, drug trafficking.....need some honest cabbie stories fast.

[poweratradio]

The holier than thou U.S.Of A the worlds policeman has spoken and totally swept their own crimes against humanity worldwide under the carpet and left their own countries poverty hunger and homelessness in the closet. Who gives a darn what the U.S. Says about anything.

[Sandman77]

Us and Europe should clean up first , in there own country's before point with the finger to others!

[Travel2003]

"found themselves added to a nations such as Iran, North Korea and Syria"

Really?

You are actually rolling on the floor and laughing because of that?

How old are you?

[robertthebruce]

Nowt new there

[chooka]

The Thai Ambassador to the US said on BBC that the country could do more and will, he then detailed all that's being done and felt it was enough for LoS to remain in Tier 2.

Now it remains to be seen if any sort of sanctions will be imposed after 01 Oct or will the US decide that a warning to an ' old friend and ally ' will be enough ?

Does the US really think the Thais will worry about mere words from foreigners who don't understand Thainess whereas sanctions might actually get their attention ?

Of course. It is a matter of "Face" for Thailand. The military will surely get involved with this, as they are busy fixing other tarnished images of Thailand. Stand by and watch.

The military are already involved. They have to have an operation against themselves and clean out all those in the ranks who are up to their necks in the trafficking. Starting from the very top who have turned a blind eye for decades. Slapping defamation charges on those who have exposed the military involvement is not fixing the problem.

[Frank James]

The holier than thou U.S.Of A the worlds policeman has spoken and totally swept their own crimes against humanity worldwide under the carpet and left their own countries poverty hunger and homelessness in the closet. Who gives a darn what the U.S. Says about anything.

Fly your stupid little Maple Leaf flag and take your self-righteous shots at your next door neighbor, if it makes you feel good. Canada has nothing to boast about, considering its own record in dealing with native people. And your country now is run by pious right wingers that have no concern whatsoever for the environment.

There are no clean hands.

[Frank James]

Hate to be selfish and crass, (OK, guilty as charged, next!) but I hope this doesn't result in an anti-American backlash by the Royal Thai Immigration Police.

[Mango Bob]

I love this anti American spirit here from those Britis and Europeans. How soon they forget if it wasn't for us Americans you will be going to the German Embassy to get a new passport. Maybe your Brits would even consider that something good. And you folks from Asia would be carrying your Japanese Passport to stay here. God Bless the Good old USA.

[bigbamboo]

Oh dear........ another problem for the general to fix.

[Richard Hall]

God Bless the Good old USA.

Does that "old" refer to after or before the Civil War?

[dru2]

I love this anti American spirit here from those Britis and Europeans. How soon they forget if it wasn't for us Americans you will be going to the German Embassy to get a new passport. Maybe your Brits would even consider that something good. And you folks from Asia would be carrying your Japanese Passport to stay here. God Bless the Good old USA.

I think Uncle Joe Stalin and Marshal Zhukov may have had something to do with it. And the Brits had already defeated the Luftwaffe before Pearl Harbour.

[slipperylobster]

The holier than thou U.S.Of A the worlds policeman has spoken and totally swept their own crimes against humanity worldwide under the carpet and left their own countries poverty hunger and homelessness in the closet. Who gives a darn what the U.S. Says about anything.

LOL...who gives a darn what Canada is saying? Probably the same lot.

[Thai at Heart]

The Thai Ambassador to the US said on BBC that the country could do more and will, he then detailed all that's being done and felt it was enough for LoS to remain in Tier 2.

Now it remains to be seen if any sort of sanctions will be imposed after 01 Oct or will the US decide that a warning to an ' old friend and ally ' will be enough ?

Does the US really think the Thais will worry about mere words from foreigners who don't understand Thainess whereas sanctions might actually get their attention ?

I am sure CP is rallying the government to get this sorted out asap. I mean what's the point in having a govt in your pocket if they can't sort their s**t out.

[Thai at Heart]

'...Thailand is considering proposing to the US that five Thai products be withdrawn from exports because producers here allegedly use child or forced labour.

The five products are shrimp, garments, sugarcane, pornography, and fish.'

It seems strange to see 'pornography' included in this list. Thailand is no doubt a counterfeiter and producer of pornography, but it's not legal and it's certainly not a recognised export. I would have thought it was largely sold within Thailand to domestic and foreign consumers. Why is it included in this list as though pornography was an export product like rubber or rice?

I.would think that the amount of commercial porn exported to america from thailand to be tiny.

Unless what they are saying is that there is kiddie porn produced in Thailand that needs to be stopped. At the end of the day, the amount of weekly stories about falangs being arrested as.paedos shows there is a child sex industry problem in Thailand

Sad thing is, it is in no way limited to farang.

[The Deerhunter]

Where do you think the red trolls are locked up against their will writing bad stuff against Abhisit, Suthep & the General? Just trying to put some logic into something I just can't understand!

[Paulzed]

Says the country that was built on Slavery

but finally had the sense to change................do you see any change here?

Yes they did change after 460 years and one of the bloodiest civil wars in modern history, assignation of the president and Military rule of the southern states that lasted for 14 years after the war.

[Paulzed]

Says the country that was built on Slavery

How much do you know about the Spanish Inquisition? The British Empire? French Indochina? The Russian Gulags? etc etc etc. This is a shameful practice and the world is watching. You seem to be having a good time pointing fingers and just HAVE to say something rather than have SOMETHING to say. What does that make you? Wise? If you have a better idea about how to address the problem please do enlighten us.

How many African, South American and Middle Eastern Countries today, have poor human rights abuse records, but the USA does not say a word because the USA makes big profit from them on Diamonds, Gold, Oil etc....FREE PASS!

[Paulzed]

Says the country that was built on Slavery

To put it more precisely, "One of the countries that was built on slavery".

England, Portugal, Spain, France & The Netherlands all became rich off the slave trade. Would you happen to be from one of these countries? No need to answer but certainly something to think about. Also, perhaps a little knowledge of world history would have prevented the need to post a smiling face with hands clapping to emphasize your ignorance of man's cruelty to man throughout the world..

How many companies e.g NIKE, ADIDDAS, etc... been busted many times for running sweat shops in South America, SEA, etc... child labour, workers living in squalor, low pay ....and are still in business today? why has the USA not done anything about this?

I bet you have a nice pair of name brand runners that were made in a sweat shop by some poor kid!