Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, who heads the government's fight against human trafficking, has set his sights on Thailand being upgraded from Tier 2 to Tier 1 in the US Trafficking in Persons Report in the coming year.
The report, or TIP Report, is an annual assessment issued by the US State Department's Office to monitor and combat trafficking. It ranks governments based on their efforts to fight human trafficking.
The report divides nations into tiers based on their compliance with standards outlined in the US' Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 2000.
Tier 1 is for countries whose governments fully comply with the TVPA's minimum standards, while Tier 2 applies to those whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA's minimum standards, but are making efforts to bring themselves into compliance.
Gen Prawit yesterday stressed the need at a joint meeting of two committees working to curb human trafficking for various organisations to follow the US recommendations given to Thailand in the 2020 TIP report.
This included increasing efforts to stop child sexual abuse and clearing up problems facing workers in the fishing sector, said Lt Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich, spokesman for Gen Prawit.
A problem-centred approach is being adopted to improve the human trafficking situation, while new laws will be passed to allow the confiscation of assets in human-trafficking cases to compensate victims, Gen Prawit told the meeting.
He also warned state officials against getting involved in human trafficking activities, saying they would face the maximum legal punishment if they did, said Lt Gen Kongcheep.
Gen Prawit said the government aims to eradicate human trafficking in Thailand and encouraged all parties to join in an effort to get Thailand upgraded to Tier 1 in next year's TIP Report, the spokesman said.
A proposed amendment to the Human Trafficking Prevention and Suppression Act to allow the seizure of assets in human trafficking cases and turn them into financial compensation for human trafficking victims was also approved at yesterday's meeting, Lt Gen Kongcheep said.
A progress report on the Thailand Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a permanent unit under the Royal Thai Police, also was presented, he said.
A draft report on Thailand's efforts to contain trafficking this year, which was being prepared for submission to the US for consideration when it prepares the 2021 TIP Report, was also reviewed.
Meanwhile, seven suspects were arrested on Tuesday in connection with a forced labour case involving five Myanmar migrant workers rescued from a fishing trawler in Nakhon Si Thammarat's Si Chon district.
One suspect was an unnamed local politician, said a source, adding investigators would press for prosecutors to seek the maximum penalty against the politician.