Don defends anti-trafficking efforts ahead of US watch-list release
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Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai has said the United States’ annual report on Trafficking in Persons, to be released later today (Tuesday), will not affect Thailand’s efforts to curb slavery.
Thailand, currently listed in Tier 2 on a three-level watch list in which Tier 3 is reserved for countries doing little or nothing about TIP, is expected to be upgraded. Officials claim they’ve done enough to improve the situation here.
“We don’t know what our ranking will be, but we don’t care,” Don said earlier Tuesday. “What really matters is whether we accomplish our agenda.”
Don said the fight against trafficking has been on the government’s agenda since 2015.
The US State Department is scheduled to release the report at 9.30pm Bangkok time. It assesses government efforts around the world to combat human trafficking.
This year’s report, the 17th issued, covers 187 countries and territories, including the US itself.
