Thailand remains on Tier 2 for the third consecutive year in the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report issued by the United States this week.
The report said the Thai government had made significant efforts to improve its performance since being upgraded from the Tier 2 Watch List three years ago, but has still not fully met the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking.
Vietnam and Malaysia were upgraded from the Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 2, while Brunei was downgraded to Tier 3. Singapore and the Philippines are on Tier 1. Countries on Tier 3 can face restrictions on foreign assistance or loans from multilateral development banks, among other sanctions.
The report said positive steps taken by Thailand included increasing the number of trafficking investigations and prosecutions, and the number of victims identified and referred to services for help.
Authorities identified more migrant labour trafficking victims, courts ordered increased amounts of restitution to victims and established 13 victim identification centres, said the report issued by the State Department.
However, the report was critical of efforts to identify and protect trafficking victims exploited by online scam operations in neighbouring countries when those victims — both Thai nationals and foreigners — entered the country after their exploitation.
“Government officials did not identify the majority as trafficking victims, placed foreign victims in immigration detention centres, and arrested victims, including Thai citizens, for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked in these illicit operations,” it said.
Significant gaps in the provision of services to victims persisted, and quality of services varied across the country. “Corruption and official complicity continued to impede anti-trafficking efforts, especially along the northern border,” it added.
Among the recommendations the report made were proactive investigation and prosecution of officials complicit in facilitating trafficking, with significant prison terms. It recommended that the government cease placing trafficking victims in immigration detention centres and ensure victims are not inappropriately penalised solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked.
Social Development and Human Security Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said recently that the country was working to achieve Tier 1 status, while stressing the need to address the rise of the scam industry and online trafficking operations.
Authorities must protect the welfare of trafficking victims by adhering to a victim-centred principle and providing victim-friendly treatment and trauma-informed care, especially for young people, he said.