Govt to keep fighting human trafficking despite results of new TIP Report

BANGKOK, 30 June 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has affirmed that Thailand will continue to focus on the mission to end human trafficking although reports suggest that the country’s ranking on the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report could improve this year.

Following news from Reuters that the United States would downgrade Thailand from the Tier 3 watchlist to Tier 2 on its 2016 TIP Report, Mr Sek Wannamethee, Department of Information Director-General and Foreign Ministry Spokesman, noted that the information has not been officially confirmed. The US is scheduled to release its annual TIP Report in the morning of June 30 local time.

Regardless of the results, Mr Sek stressed that the government will maintain its priority on the suppression of human trafficking, which is high on the national agenda. He said more concrete measures will continuously be implemented to strengthen the country’s stance, policy, law and cooperation against human trafficking.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan remarked that it would be good for Thailand if the country is placed in Tier 2 as reported. Nonetheless, he insisted that the eradication of human trafficking must carry on while urging media members to report on related operations as a way of giving moral support to officers involved.


-- NNT 2016-06-30

Wouldn't that be an upgrade?

If the country had good moral fibre and character Thailand wouldn't be on the list , you can only lead by example from the top, there has always been a systemic failure by Thai authorities to stamp out anything, the main culprit may mean disappearing or waking up dead in the morning, that is a bit of a deterrent..............................

Wouldn't "keep fighting" actually require "seriously start fighting"?

IMO, if the upgrade does happen, then most efforts will pretty much cease......and without further regular scrutiny, will end up as before.

There's just too much money in trading people!

How is the cannery business and the fishing fleets handeling the surge of paying award wages and offering better living conditions? Typical here is that extraordinary promises are being made with vague verbal reassurances are being made while the promoter (Government) is hawking their new turn of system that is vague and in ways must be kept secret. This need to be secret affects workers and illegal immigrants whilst the promotion remains on a legitimate outcome for business and the country. Unfortunately the need to ramp up profit will bring the bad ways back into calculation, with fabricated achievements and fraudulent reporting. If nothing changes nothing changes. The process sounds like a employment Ponzi scheme. Hope I am wrong!

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has affirmed that Thailand will continue to focus on the mission to end human trafficking although reports suggest that the country’s ranking on the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report could improve this year."

Time to wake up!!! When one receives a negative report and a warning to change ones record, that is a call to take action towards improvement. Not a call to give up.

It's amazing that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects some sort of award for engaging in what its mission has been since its creation. And people wonder why things never change.

Edited June 30, 201610 yr by jaltsc

Tier 2 Watch List if the hot tip is true

If government fights human trafficking, seems there will be lots of self inflicted blows to the face....