Thailand remains in Tier 2 in the latest Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report issued by the United States, reflecting modest progress in its enforcement efforts but not enough to lift the country to Tier 1 as some officials had hoped.
“The Government of Thailand does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so,” the US State Department said in the chapter on Thailand in the 2023 report posted on its website.
The closely watched annual report details the efforts of countries around the world to deal with human trafficking. Thailand was demoted in 2011 to the Tier 2 Watchlist but later upgraded to Tier 2 in recognition of the work of various agencies tasked with addressing the challenge.
Boonchob Suthamanuswong, the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Labour, in March expressed the hope that Washington would see enough progress to warrant Thailand’s promotion to Tier 1 this year.
Tier 1 means a country is fully compliant with the minimum standards for the elimination of severe forms of trafficking in persons, while Tier 2 is not fully compliant but making “significant efforts” to that effect.
Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin said at the time that the national plan for tackling human trafficking focused mainly on key at-risk groups: migrant workers, child workers and workers in the fishing industry.
As well, he said, the government had been monitoring Thai people with a tendency to travel to work illegally in other countries, while securing more formal cooperation with countries in both bringing in more migrant workers and sending Thai workers to fill jobs abroad, he added.
The 2023 TIP report noted an increase in Thailand in the number of trafficking investigations, prosecutions and convictions. Authorities in 2022 initiated investigations of 35 allegedly complicit officials and sentenced four to prison terms.
However, it said authorities did not make sufficient efforts to protect trafficking victims exploited in forced labour in cyber-scam operations in neighbouring countries, including Thai citizens who entered the country after their exploitation.
As well, it said, requirements by law that most foreign victims remain in shelters throughout legal proceedings against traffickers deterred many potential victims from reporting their exploitation or agreeing to participate as witnesses.