6 January 2020
Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan chaired Thailand inter-agencies Anti-Human Trafficking Committee meeting to review the drafting of the Royal Thai Government’s Country Report on Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts of 2019. The Committee agreed to set the timeframe to conclude the report on January 31st, 2020. Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit emphasized that this year report will be clear, precise, and concrete. The report will also address the 13 suggestions from the United States’ Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report of 2019 in which Thailand was ranked at Tier 2 for the second consecutive year, including more proactive approach to human trafficking cases, enhanced assistance to human trafficking victims, and increased protection of the rights of foreign workers in Thailand.
Furthermore, Deputy Prime Minister General Wongsuwan also approved the creation of the Subcommittee on Labour Prevention and Human Trafficking in Labour as proposed by the Thai Ministry of Labour. The goal of the subcommittee is to focus on efficiency and systematic integration within and between relevant departments and agencies.
Deputy Prime Minister General Wongsuwan also explicitly instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to refine the Royal Thai Government’s Country Report on Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts taking into account suggestions from the Anti-Human Trafficking Committee before finalizing it on the 31st of January. He also firmly instructed law enforcement agencies to strengthen their measures and efforts against all human trafficking offenders with no exception to government officials who commit human trafficking crimes in order to completely eradicate human trafficking from Thailand. The government also focuses on enhancing awareness among Thai citizens regarding human trafficking in order to strengthen the sense of social responsibility within Thai society. This, in turn, would encourage Thai citizens to provide information and to support the government in its efforts to eradicate human trafficking from Thailand.
Sources: Matichon Online https://www.matichon.co.th/politics/news_1867845
Photo Credits: Thairath https://www.thairath.co.th/news/society/1720027
Translated by: Sukhapatr Rasmidatta
