Govt defends itself over trafficking report
The Foreign Ministry Thursday expressed its disappointment over a recent report from the London-based Environment Justice Foundation (EJF), which said Bangkok's efforts to combat human trafficking were "wholly inadequate".
“EJF ignored positive efforts of the government in combating human trafficking,” the ministry said.
The government over the past year has suppressed and prevented the trafficking as well as provide assistance to the victims, the ministry insisted. Last year, the authorities prosecuted 156 companies found to be violating the labour law, and arrested 107 brokers involved in trafficking migrants, it said.
The US State Department last year downgraded Thailand to its “Tier 3” list of worst offenders – alongside 22 other countries including North Korea, Iran and Central African Republic – in its annual ranking of countries by their counter-trafficking efforts.
The junta-backed government stepped up some measures since then to show its commitment to combat the trafficking. The government has punished corrupt officials and those involved in the trafficking, the ministry’s statement said.
