Interior Minister warns officials to stay away from trafficking
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Interior Minister Gen Anupong Phaojinda yesterday maintained that Thailand would remain at lowest ranking in the US Trafficking in Persons (Tip) report if government officials continued to be involved in trafficking.
Gen Anupong said that police and law enforcement agencies are required to clamp down on human trafficking activities because the TIP report can have serious repercussions on the local economy.
He was speaking at a meeting of Kamnans and district chiefs as well as local authorities to underline policies and follow up on actions against human trafficking.
Thailand was ranked the lowest at Tier 3 in the TIP report released this year, which means the Kingdom does little to nothing to protect people from being trafficked or in prosecuting traffickers. The report is the US government’s key diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on the issue of human trafficking and modernday slavery.
“If officials continue to be involved in human traffickingrelated activities, we will remain in Tier 3 despite the presence of good infrastructure and tools,” the minister said.
