US TIP report: Thailand stays on Tier 3

[webfact]

TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT
Thailand stays on Tier 3
ERICH PARPART,
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION



US TIP report cites govt failure to comply with standards, notes trial of journalists.

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND remained at Tier 3 - the lowest level - for another year in the US annual report on Trafficking in Persons (TIP), with the State Department saying the government had not fully complied with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and was not making significant efforts to do so.

"Thailand investigated and prosecuted some cases against corrupt officials involved in trafficking, but trafficking-related corruption continued to impede progress in combating trafficking," the 2015 TIP report said. "The government decreased the number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and victims identified in 2014."

Though the report acknowledged measures taken by the government, it also said that "the prosecution of journalists and advocates for exposing traffickers, and statements discouraging media reporting on trafficking crimes undermined some efforts to identify and assist victims and apprehend traffickers".

The report pointed out that though the government has made an effort to screen Rohingya migrants for trafficking indicators and has worked with NGOs to assist sex-trafficking victims, there was still a serious lack of interpreters for trafficking victims. And it had not proactively identified many trafficking victims among workers in the fishing industry or irregular migrants, it said.

Prior to the release of the report yesterday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha declared that his government had done its best to tackle human trafficking, but said he did not expect the United States to upgrade Thailand from Tier 3.

"I actually don't expect an upgrade from Tier 3 to Tier 2, as it takes time for government actions to bear fruit and for the entire system to change for the better. It won't take just one day, or one month or one year to do that," he said.

He added that the authorities have been trying to fight human trafficking since the country was downgraded from Tier 2 watch-list to Tier 3 last year. Prayut made the issue a national priority and launched a crackdown on groups trafficking Rohingya and other boat people. Police have also pinpointed senior security officials for alleged involvement.

Vallop Vitanakorn, vice chairman of the Thai National Shippers' Council, said there has been some progress since last year in the government efforts to solve the trafficking problem, especially in enforcing law.

Prinn Panitchpakdi, country head at CLSA Securities (Thailand), said the US was using the TIP report as part of "a big package" that will be used to bring Thailand into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks. Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam are already part of the talks on the controversial pact.

Malaysia, meanwhile, was upgraded from Tier 3 to Tier 2 watch-list, because Kuala Lumpur is making "significant efforts to comply with minimum standard for eliminate trafficking", the report said.

Prinn explained: "The US [senate] has given fast-track authority [to the White House] on the TPP talks since it deems this partnership to be one of its main trade strategies for the region.

"It wants to add more members to the TPP framework, which is seen as a US-led grouping to counter China's fast-growing control over trade and investment activities in this region."

Somkiat Triratpan, an inspector-general at the Commerce Ministry and director of the Policies and Trade Strategies Bureau, said the US report should not affect Thai exports as private enterprises had signed purchase orders in advance.

Pimonwan Mahujchariyawong, deputy managing director of Kasikorn Research Centre, said the Tier 3 ranking would continue to hurt the image of Thai exports, adding that the US did not take into account the government's measures and efforts.

"The latest report only applies to the government's actions prior to March, so efforts after the third month will be counted in next year's report, not this year," she said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thailand-stays-on-Tier-3-30265370.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-28

[webfact]

MFA: Thailand committed to fighting human trade despite Tier 3 ranking

BANGKOK, 28 July 2015 (NNT) – The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reacted to the United States’ decision to keep Thailand in the Tier 3 Watch List on human trafficking for another year, affirming that the Kingdom has been making huge progress in eradicating the problem.

The US has released its 2015 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, in which Thailand is maintained in the Tier 3 Watch List for the second consecutive year after its downgrade from Tier 2 last year. In response, Mr Sek Wannamethee, Director-General of the Department of Information and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, cited the latest report as an inaccurate reflection of Thailand’s efforts and achievements in its combat against human trafficking over the past year.

The Spokesman insisted that, since the incumbent government came into office, the anti-human trafficking mechanism has been completely revamped, resulting in concrete improvements in many aspects. Policy-wise, he said the problem has been included in the national agenda while a number of related laws and regulations have been amended.

Law enforcement has also been intensified, leading to the arrest and prosecution of many culprits, one of whom is a senior army officer. Meanwhile, over 1.6 million foreign workers have been properly registered in a bid to prevent them from falling prey to human traffickers while cooperation has been established both bilaterally and multilaterally with neighboring countries in order to rid the region of trafficking activities.

Although Thailand will continue to be in the bottom tier for one more year, Mr Sek was adamant the country will remain determined and devoted to putting an end to the problem of human trafficking.


-- NNT 2015-07-28

[jellydog]

It will be interesting to see the ripples from this...or not.

[Somtamnication]

Ah, corruption. I knew it!

[NongKhaiKid]

The PM says he will respect the report however I see a lot of BUT's coming as in :

BUT we are doing out best

BUT the US doesn't understand

BUT everybody else does it and we get punished, and on and on.

The PM should check the music archives for a pop song from the '50s, regret the name escapes me, with a rebellious teenager singing about the problems in his life and includes the line

" why is everybody always picking on me ? "

[webfact]

Thailand kept in Tier 3



BANGKOK: -- Thailand has been kept on the bottom Tier 3 in the latest US State Department’s report on human trafficking.

The report which was released on Monday said Thai government does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so.

Twenty-two other countries are in Tier 3. They include Algeria, Belarus, North Korea, Libya, Kuwait, Iran, Gambia, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, Comoros, Russia and Mauritania.

The report did not take into account efforts undertaken by the government after March 31 to deal with human trafficking problem in fishing industry and related industries, the discovery of Rohingya transit camps, the arrest and prosecution of severl alleged human traffickers.

Under the US law, a country at Tier 3 of human trafficking rating cannot participate in trade deals with the US.

Meanwhile, Malaysia, Cuba and Uzbekistan have been upgraded from Tier 3 to Tier 2.

Thai Foreign Ministry is ready to issue an announcement retaliating the US listing of Thailand at the lowest ranking despite its effort to resolve the human trafficking problem seriously.

The TIP report said although Thailand has made efforts to change things, but not enough has been done.

According to AP, The Trafficking in Persons Report is one of several annual assessments issued by the State Department on human rights-related topics

The report is based on the actions governments take, rather than on the scale of the problem in their countries.

Globally, more than 20 million people are believed to be affected in industries such as mining, construction, the sex trade, and domestic service.

Thailand, downgraded with Malaysia last year because of pervasive labor abuses in its lucrative fishing industry, remained on the blacklist in the latest report..

Critics said the latest rating will add to the growing strains in its once-strong relations with Washington.

But Malaysia’s upgrade also drew criticism that it was because of its participation in a U.S.-backed trade agreement among Pacific Rim countries. Thailand is not part of the proposed agreement.

Secretary of State John Kerry formally launched the annual U.S. assessment of how 188 governments around the world have performed in fighting the flesh trade and other forms of exploitative labor.

President Barack Obama now has 90 days to determine whether to apply sanctions against tier 3 governments.

The president can block various types of aid and could withdraw U.S. support for loans from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. But the U.S. often chooses not to, based on its national security interests, as it did last year for both Thailand and Malaysia, which Washington views as important partners in its strategic outreach to Asia.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/thailand-kept-in-tier-3


-- Thai PBS 2015-07-28

[webfact]

NGOs express support for US maintaining Thailand at bottom of TIP report
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A group of international, US and Thai NGOs Monday sent a letter to US Secretary of State Kerry, supporting the US Government decision to keep Thailand in Tier 3 of the US anti-trafficking report.

The letter says:

"We write today to support the State Department's decision to maintain Thailand's Tier 3 designation in the 2015 Global Trafficking in Persons Report. We believe the Tier 3 ranking, as well as the research and recommendations contained in the report, will be an important tool for governments, international institutions, companies and investors to continue to press the Thai authorities to enact more substantive reforms to end the labor trafficking that can be found in many sectors of Thailand's economy, including seafood.

This decision comes at a vital time for leveraging change from the Thai government in its anti-trafficking efforts. Last year's downgrade to Tier 3 in the 2014 TIP Report, the decision by the European Union to issue Thailand a "yellow card" for its failure to adequately monitor its fishing industry, and high-profile global media exposés of human trafficking in Thailand's fishing industry have together produced an unprecedented level of international pressure on Thailand to address its significant human trafficking problem. The Thai government has demonstrated its willingness to respond to that pressure, and has taken a few encouraging actions. In particular, efforts to register migrant workers, passage of the Regulation to Protect Labour in the Sea Fishing Industry, and reforms to the Fisheries Act that increase regulation and oversight of fishing vessels are positive steps.. However, the government only began making these regulatory changes toward the end of 2014, many of them weren't operational until mid-2015, and we remain deeply concerned that failure to effectively enforce these laws and policies may render those changes ineffectual. The U.S. decision to leave Thailand on Tier 3 until it demonstrates greater political commitment to enforce these new laws and regulations reflects an accurate assessment of Thailand's efforts to combat human trafficking and will serve as a powerful incentive for Thailand to take further steps.

The State Department's decision will keep pressure for substantive changes by Bangkok. In particular, Thailand needs to demonstrate it is willing to enforce newly established mechanisms to increase transparency and regulatory accountability within its seafood industry, and apply those mechanisms to combating human trafficking by conducting more frequent inspections at sea, ensuring inspectors are trained to identify and respond to the needs of trafficking victims, and cracking down on the trade of fraudulent crew manifests and identification documents at ports.

Another issue that requires urgent US attention is Thailand's use of criminal defamation and the Computer Crimes Act to prosecute journalists and human rights defenders. This month, Phuketwan journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian, and migrant rights defender Andy Hall faced court proceedings. If they are found guilty, it will have a chilling impact on the ability of trafficking victims to speak out and seek justice. Thailand should not be prosecuting journalists and activists for doing their jobs, and these court trials belie Thailand's claims that it is working with civil society to address human trafficking issues.

Finally, Thailand should ensure that migrant workers have the right to associate and organize to protect their rights, including the right to form unions. The US should press Thailand to adopt key International Labor Organization conventions - including Conventions No. 87 on Freedom of Association and No. 98 on Collective Bargaining, as well as the new Protocol to Convention No. 29 Against Forced Labor (which Thailand has ratified) - and bring its laws into compliance.

We are committed to continue our efforts to press the government of Thailand toward making substantive changes to end human trafficking, and today's decision will aid our efforts. We thank you for your work to combat human trafficking, and look forward to continuing our engagement with the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok to secure the outcome that we all want: the end of human trafficking in Thailand based on changed laws and policies, and effective enforcement on the ground.

Sincerely,

1. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations

2. Anti-Slavery International

3. The Child Labor Coalition

4. Environmental Justice Foundation

5. Green America

6. Greenpeace

7. Fairfood International

8. Fair World Project

9. Finnwatch

10. FishWise

11. Food Chain Workers Alliance

12. Fortify Rights

13. Free the Slaves

14. The Freedom Fund

15. Human Rights and Development Foundation

16. Human Rights at Sea

17. Human Rights Watch

18. International Labor Rights Forum

19. International Transport Workers’ Federation

20. International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF)

21. Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada

22. National Consumers League

23. National Guestworker Alliance

24. Slave Free Seas

25. Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Uniting Church in Australia".

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/NGOs-express-support-for-US-maintaining-Thailand-a-30265371.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-28

[englishoak]

Only a couple in agreement with the report then ....

[NongKhaiKid]

Just heard part of a report on BBC World TV and someone was saying that the reaction coming out of Bangkok was that everything is political and that LoS should have been upgraded too.

[zaphod reborn]

A lot of criticism in the US over upgrading Malaysia, Cuba and Uzbekistan. It is seen as politically motivated. There's no one saying that Thailand should have been upgraded.

[bruceybonus]

Tier 4 should be created for Thailand to drop into.

[CiaranO]

There where they should be. It also mentions prosecuting the two phuketwan journalists - I knew that would come back to haunt them.

[Songhua]

Better set up another panel and hold another seminar.

[lovelomsak]

New York Times has an article on how the workers are treated on the Thai fishing boats. It really supports this tier rating. A bit long but good.

[aussieinthailand]

There where they should be. It also mentions prosecuting the two phuketwan journalists - I knew that would come back to haunt them.

I know they (Phuketwan) had been too court but is the verdict in yet?

[TheAppletons]

Be interesting to see if the US applies sanctions against Thailand this time....last year, they waived the sanctions.

(This thread will undoubtedly devolve into a series of "America should get its own house in order" rants.)

[BuckBee]

Another fail . Junta very consistent at least ... lol

[Usernames]

Be interesting to see if the US applies sanctions against Thailand this time....last year, they waived the sanctions.

(This thread will undoubtedly devolve into a series of "America should get its own house in order" rants.)

That's okay. Thailand has China! China! China! China! And some of Russia and North Korea, too. No need big bad America. Hah. Now, take a big long look at that crashing Chinese stock market, Thailand, and just think about where you have put all your eggs.

[bamnutsak]

In related news...

Satellites track missing slave fishing boats on secret journey from Indonesia to Papua New Guinea

27 July, 2015

In this July 14, 2015, image provided by DigitalGlobe, a high-resolution satellite photograph off the coast of Papua New Guinea shows two fishing trawlers loading slave-caught fish onto Silver Sea 2, a refrigerated cargo ship belonging to the Thai-owned Silver Sea Fishery Co. Photo: AP

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/1843976/satellites-track-missing-slave-fishing-boats-secret-journey

‘SEA SLAVES’: THE HUMAN MISERY THAT FEEDS PETS AND LIVESTOCK

27 July 2015

SONGKHLA, Thailand — Lang Long’s ordeal began in the back of a truck. After watching his younger siblings go hungry because their family’s rice patch in Cambodia could not provide for everyone, he accepted a trafficker’s offer to travel across the Thai border for a construction job.

It was his chance to start over. But when he arrived, Mr. Long was kept for days by armed men in a room near the port at Samut Prakan, more than a dozen miles southeast of Bangkok. He was then herded with six other migrants up a gangway onto a shoddy wooden ship. It was the start of three brutal years in captivity at sea.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/27/world/outlaw-ocean-thailand-fishing-sea-slaves-pets.html

[bangkokheat]

He added that the authorities have been trying to fight human trafficking since the country was downgraded from Tier 2 watch-list to Tier 3 last year.

yep time to act after being downgraded, if you wanted to fight human trafficking why wouldnt you have done it before you get downgraded to T3, if you were in fact serious and concerned

[webfact]

M'S STATEMENT
Thai Foreign Ministry says US TIP report not fair
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry issued a statement late Monday night, expressing its disagreement to the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2015 that maintained Thailand in Tier 3 for second consecutive year.

The statement said Thailand took note of the evaluation but the placement of Thailand in Tier 3 did not accurately reflect the efforts by the country to combat human trafficking during the past year.

The statement say:

"In reference to the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2015 that was released in Washington DC on Monday 27 July 2015, Thailand is maintained in Tier 3 for the second consecutive year.

Thailand takes note of such an evaluation but believes that the placement of Thailand in Tier 3 does not accurately reflect the significant efforts undertaken by the Government and its partnership with private sector and civil society in making the tangible progress that has occurred on all fronts in the previous year.

Since August 2014, the Thai government has translated its genuine political will to combat human trafficking into practical policies, effective implementation, and concrete results: On policy & policy implementation, the government has (i) declared combating trafficking in persons a national priority, (ii) set up a Policy Committee on Combating Human Trafficking and Illegal Fishing chaired by the Prime Minister and 5 sub-committees chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers and relevant Ministers and (iii) revised and enacted several laws and regulations including the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. On prosecution & law enforcement, relevant agencies intensified their efforts, which led to the crackdowns of trafficking syndicates as well as many arrests and punishments of high-ranking officials complicit in human trafficking. On prevention, the holistic solution to address labour exploitation in the fishery sector was introduced in tandem with the expedited registration and legalization of more than 1.6 million illegal migrants. These policies provided them with legal protection and, therefore, reduced their vulnerability to human trafficking. On protection, victim identifications by multi-disciplinary teams and victim care have been improved. On partnership, Thailand has played a leading role in forging bilateral and multilateral partnerships to ensure that this highly complex issue was addressed in a concerted manner and achieved the appropriate balance between human rights and security considerations.

Despite the tier ranking, Thailand will continue to do its utmost to overcome the remaining challenges, while also promoting security and upholding our long and distinguished tradition of adherence to humanitarianism. We will also seek to further strengthen cooperation and partner with all stakeholders including private sector, civil society, international organizations and international community."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Thai-Foreign-Ministry-says-US-TIP-report-not-fair-30265372.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-28

[David Barker]

The PM says he will respect the report however I see a lot of BUT's coming as in :

BUT we are doing out best

BUT the US doesn't understand

BUT everybody else does it and we get punished, and on and on.

The PM should check the music archives for a pop song from the '50s, regret the name escapes me, with a rebellious teenager singing about the problems in his life and includes the line

" why is everybody always picking on me ? "

[David Barker]

Remember it well Charlie Brown by the Coasters

[oneday]

"The latest report only applies to the government's actions prior to March, so efforts after the third month will be counted in next year's report, not this year," she said.

These reporters and the government are not paying enough attention to this statement. Everyone knows Thailand didn't really start to do anything different until the migrant mass graves were found on May 1st of this year. That was after the cut-off date for this report. In addition to that, and it's very heartening to see this in the report, Thailand continues with their insane prosecution of the two journalists from the PhuketWan newspaper. That alone is reason enough to keep them at Tier 3.

[clockman]

Spoiled, children!

[GanDoonToonPet]

Efforts do not necessarily correlate with results. However, I do have some sympathy with Mr P as corruption is endemic in Thai society, from the lowly civil servant to the highest power in the land.

[upena]

Read the whole report on Thailand - much more than just the fishing industry

[Richard Hall]

Frankly said, who cares about a rating by a country that can not find her own behind in her pants with both hands?

Nothing but politics because because some supposedly democratically elected leaders are not satisfied with the present Thai government. Easy, picking on a small country, isn't it? Why not choose China or Saudi Arabia for a change?

Uncle Sam, surely 1st Tier material in the hypocrites liga closely followed by the EU.

[Anthony5]

Law enforcement has also been intensified, leading to the arrest and prosecution of many culprits, one of whom is a senior army officer. Meanwhile,

Has there actually been an update on the arrest and/or prosecution of that army officer, or am I correct that I didn't miss it?

[Daniel Boon]

The PM says he will respect the report however I see a lot of BUT's coming as in :

BUT we are doing out best

BUT the US doesn't understand

BUT everybody else does it and we get punished, and on and on.

The PM should check the music archives for a pop song from the '50s, regret the name escapes me, with a rebellious teenager singing about the problems in his life and includes the line

" why is everybody always picking on me ? "

Why's Everybody Always Pickin' On Me' by Bloodhound Gang