Thailand’s status unchanged on US annual report but agencies stepping up victim protection
The Ministry of Labour has made significant progress in improving its capacity to prevent trafficking of people for labour but more can be done, says Pairoj Chotikasathien, the ministry’s permanent secretary.
He was commenting on the release of the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report by the US government, on which Thailand remains on Tier 2 for the third consecutive year.
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.
Mr Pairoj said the United States had recommended that agencies in Thailand increase their efforts to identify and provide protection to victims who return to the country after facing labour exploitation abroad.
The Ministry of Labour, it said, should enforce the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and establish victim identification centres that focus on victims’ psychological trauma. Frontline officials should be trained to follow uniform victim-centric guidelines.
Labour protection laws should also be enforced in the fishery sector. Options for electronic payments should be provided to workers while sea-based transfers should be banned, the report said.
Mr Pairoj said the Ministry of Labour is one of the three main agencies tasked with preventing and combating human trafficking in Thailand.
In recent years, he said, the ministry has made significant progress in enhancing the capability of the Secretariat of the Command Center of Prevention on Labour Trafficking to streamline operations and drive prevention policies.
Standard operating procedures have also been put in place to initially identify victims of forced labour and enhance the potential of law enforcement officers in trafficking cases.
The ministry has also increased the number of labour inspectors to focus on at-risk groups, such as migrant workers, child labour and those in the fishery sector, he said, explaining that this was done to ensure the workers receive legal protection on par with international standards.
He said the ministry is working with other agencies to strengthen the Port-In Port-Out (PIPO) Control Centres in 22 coastal provinces. It has also encouraged private businesses to adhere to good labour practices and cooperate with US agencies in the field of protection.
“I’d like to commend officials from all sectors for their effort and dedication in tackling all forms of human trafficking,” he said.
“Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has attached importance to this and instructed all relevant agencies to intensify efforts in a bid to eradicate human trafficking from the country.”
source: Bangkok Post
