US elevates Thailand to best child labour category

In the “Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labour 2014”, a new report compiled by the US Department of Labour, Thailand has been put in the “significant advancement” category – the highest category.

Only 13 countries performed well enough to get into this category. 

The department’s Bureau of International Labour Affairs evaluated 140 countries and territories based on their efforts to reduce child labour and reported on whether they had made significant, moderate, minimal or no advancement. 

In the 2013 report, Thailand sat in the “moderate advancement” category. 

Thailand’s better ranking is based on its evident efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. 

In the 2014 report, the Bureau of International Labour Affairs said: “Despite political unrest during the year and a military coup in May 2014, the government took actions to address child labour. Thailand made changes to its legal framework to raise the minimum age for agricultural work from 13 to 15 years, and for work on sea fishing vessels from 16 to 18 years. 

“It also created a national policy committee, including several subcommittees and task forces, to improve policy formulation, interagency coordination, and implementation regarding migrant workers and human-trafficking problems.” 

The bureau added: “The government funded and participated in multiple programmes that include the goal of eliminating or preventing child labour, including its worst forms.”

Thailand, moreover, implemented social programmes that aimed to increase access to education for children from marginalised groups who are most vulnerable to labour exploitation, it noted. 

The bureau has, however, raised some concerns about child-labour issues in Thailand.