Thailand yesterday defended its human trafficking document and hit again at US accusations that the illegal transportation of people is a crucial national downside.
A Thai delegation, led by Chettaphan Maksamphan, director-general of the Department of American and South Pacific Affairs, met with US Department of State officers in Washington last week to debate the matter forward of the 2022 annual Trafficking in Persons Report.
Thai officers insisted human trafficking is a regional problem, not a nationwide downside, and urged the US to not target individual international locations.
Police Lieutenant General Surachate Hakparn, assistant chief of the national police, who is in charge of combating human trafficking operations, says Thailand isn’t an origin or destination country as mentioned within the earlier TIP report and human trafficking shouldn’t be blamed on one specific country.
“Thailand is simply a transit level, and the Thai government has made a serious effort in stamping out human trafficking.”
The Thai delegation in Washington updated US officers on its efforts to tackle the unlawful transportation of individuals, including the prosecution of trafficking suspects and the availability of assistance to victims.
Surachate admitted Thailand witnessed a sharp rise in human trafficking instances between October last yr and May this yr, with 193 trafficking circumstances and 200 instances involving the sexual abuse of kids. He also revealed assets valued at 142 million baht were seized during the period.
Surachate added US authorities were happy with Thailand’s suppression of human trafficking, particularly the rescue of 200 people duped to work illegally in neighbouring Cambodia.
US officers made several recommendations to combat trafficking victims and requested Thailand to submit paperwork on six topics, including the variety of rescued victims and its details.
Proven was demoted to the Tier 2 Watch List in final year’s TIP report. The government hopes it will be upgraded this year for addressing issues mentioned in last year’s report.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post