Prawit 'confident' he can improve US TIP report rank

Prawit 'confident' he can improve US TIP report rank

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan is confident he can convince the United States to upgrade Thailand from the lowest ranking of the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report.

Gen Prawit, who is also defence minister and chairman of a committee tackling human trafficking, said a summary report on the country's solution to the problem is complete.

The issue will be discussed with US Charge d'Affaires W Patrick Murphy today at the Defence Ministry, he said. 

Gen Prawit added he is scheduled to meet US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel to discuss the issue next week. 

Thailand has faced widespread criticism since it was downgraded to the Tier 3 rank from Tier 2 last year, with its fisheries industry, especially, coming under fire.

Gen Prawit said he was convinced the US will return Thailand to Tier 2 because the country has put a lot of effort into improving its trafficking record.

Meanwhile, the Labour Ministry yesterday vowed to take legal action against owners of fishing trawlers who employ undocumented labourers or pay them less than the 300-baht daily minimum wage.

Legal action will be brought against trawler owners, said Arak Phrommanee, deputy permanent secretary for labour.

They will be forced to give back wages they have underpaid their workers in the past. 

He was speaking after ministry officials were deployed to examine labour practices among fishing boats in coastal provinces.

Mr Arak said some boat owners had seized the passports of alien labourers and forced them to work.

Ministerial regulations on labour protection in fisheries and agriculture are now in force,  banning the employment of children aged below 15 on farms and aged under 18 on fishing boats, he added.

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