OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT’S TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT, 2015
July 27, 2015.In reference to the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2015 that was
released in Washington DC on Monday 27 July 2015, Thailand is maintained in Tier 3 for the second consecutive year.
Thailand takes note of such an evaluation but believes that the placement of Thailand in Tier 3 does not accurately reflect the significant efforts undertaken by the Government and its partnership with private sector and civil society in making the tangible progress that has occurred on all fronts in the previous year.
Since August 2014, the Thai government has translated its genuine political will to combat human trafficking into practical policies, effective implementation, and concrete results: On policy & policy implementation, the government has (i) declared combating trafficking in persons a national priority, (ii) set up a Policy Committee on Combating Human Trafficking and Illegal Fishing chaired by the Prime Minister and 5 sub-committees chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers and relevant Ministers and (iii) revised and enacted several laws and regulations including the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. On prosecution & law enforcement, relevant agencies intensified their efforts, which led to the crackdowns of trafficking syndicates as well as many arrests and punishments of high-ranking officials complicit in human trafficking. On prevention, the holistic solution to address labour exploitation in the fishery sector was introduced in tandem with the expedited registration and legalization of more than 1.6 million illegal migrants. These policies provided them with legal protection and, therefore, reduced their vulnerability to human trafficking. On protection, victim
identifications by multi-disciplinary teams and victim care have been improved. On partnership, Thailand has played a leading role in forging bilateral and multilateral partnerships to ensure that this highly complex issue was addressed in a concerted manner and achieved the appropriate balance between human rights and security considerations.
Despite the tier ranking, Thailand will continue to do its utmost to overcome the remaining challenges, while also promoting security and upholding our long and distinguished tradition of adherence to humanitarianism. We will also seek to further strengthen cooperation and partner with all stakeholders including private sector, civil society, international organizations and international community.
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