Thailand has made significant advances to deal with human trafficking, and is working towards developing a case system to track data and statistics, according to the government's anti-human trafficking committee.
A dearth of information on human trafficking cases is a key reason the United States continues to view Thailand negatively, said Panitan Wattanayagorn, adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on security affairs.
"Without statistics and data collection, the US sees us as inactive on the issue. This year is the first year we have developed statistical data on human trafficking cases," said Mr Panitan.
The US is keen to obtain data which shows how much progress Thailand is making in the fight against trafficking, though Thailand also appears eager to obtain the information itself.
Mr Panitan said about six to 10 major human trade networks are linked to the more than 200 human trafficking cases currently being prosecuted.
He said Thailand is plagued by two additional dilemmas which contributed to Washington's decision to downgrade Thailand to the worst rated human trafficking situation − Tier 3 − in the annual global Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report.
The passivity of policymakers in the past and the alleged involvement of officials in human trafficking cases are both major issues, said Mr Panitan.
Thailand is aware of the mess and has made significant progress towards solving it, he insisted.
Human trafficking-related cases are declining after months of strenuous government efforts, he said.
However, the US authorities want Thailand to have the data and figures to back up the reduction, as they are currently working on the latest edition of the TIP report.
The first draft of the 2015 TIP report will be wrapped up next month and forwarded to US President Barack Obama for his final say.
Up for consideration is whether Thailand can be upgraded from Tier 3, Mr Panitan said.
Gen Prawit, also defence minister, said Thai people need to help solve human trafficking too.
He said Thailand is preparing a report that will provide American authorities with an update on Thai initiatives before Washington decides on Thailand's next status over its efforts to combat human trafficking.
The government cannot work alone if it wants to make Thailand's efforts more recognisable to the US and the international community, he said.
The problem should be treated as a common concern across all sectors in society, Gen Prawit said.
"Everyone, from authorities to ordinary civilians, must cooperate to put an end to human trafficking."
The deputy prime minister is planning to make Thai people become more aware of the problem by asking Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to announce the issue of human trafficking as part of the national agenda.
It is an alternative approach to the problem after the country has carried out many measures to fix its plunging image after the US downgraded Thailand last June.
The TIP report will not lead to trade barriers, but it can affect trade-related assistance to Thailand and carries with it the possibility that the US may ask major global financial institutions not to lend money to the country.
The report brands Thailand as both an "origin and destination" country for human trafficking, following warnings over the issue by the US and the European Union for more than 10 years, Gen Prawit said.