THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Government defends its anti-human trafficking record

Government defends its anti-human trafficking record

THE FOREIGN Ministry yesterday 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 firms 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 nations including North Korea, Iran and Central African Republic – in its annual ranking of countries by their counter-trafficking efforts.
The 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. 
The Fishery Department has set up 28 inspection spots in 22 coastal provinces to inspect the in-out fishery trawlers for trafficked labour, it said. The Social Welfare and Human Security Ministry has programs to help affected persons, it said. 
However, EJF said on Tuesday that Thailand was still failing to prevent trafficking and rights abuses in the fishing industry. “Nothing that we have seen or heard in the last year indicates that Thailand has taken meaningful action to address the root causes of trafficking and abuse,” EJF executive director Steve Trent said in a statement. “The Thai government must take clear, significant and sustained steps to prevent and suppress human trafficking in the fishing industry.”
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