USA-TRAFFICKING/THAILAND-PRIME MINISTER Human trafficking report keeps Thailand on lowest rank

Record ID: 146054

  • Title: USA-TRAFFICKING/THAILAND-PRIME MINISTER Human trafficking report keeps Thailand on lowest rank
  • Date: 28th July 2015
  • Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (JULY 28, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF GOVERNMENT HOUSE VARIOUS THAI PRIME MINISTER PRAYUTH CHAN-OCHA WEARING BICYCLE HELMET WALKING FROM OFFICE PRAYUTH TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) THAI PRIME MINISTER PRAYUTH CHAN-OCHA SAYING: "No, nothing to worry about. We will continue to do whatever work we have to. This is the matter of following international rules. There were a lot of problems in the past which we are solving step by step; to amend the laws, continue to monitor operational practices by authorities and (carrying out) punishments against authorities (involved)." MORE OF PRAYUTH TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) THAI PRIME MINISTER PRAYUTH CHAN-OCHA SAYING; "Take it easy. We are solving them. We are not staying idle. We are not solving this for anyone else. We are solving this for our Thailand. For example, trying to solve the (unlawful) fishery so that we don't have to face legal action from other countries." PRAYUTH START OFF RIDING BICYCLE VARIOUS OF PRAYUTH AND MINISTERS RIDING BICYCLE AROUND GOVERNMENT CHIANG MAI, THAILAND (JULY 28, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MEETING VENUE THAI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER, GENERAL TANASAK PATIMAPRAGORN WALKING INTO PRESS ROOM NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) THAI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER, GENERAL TANASAK PATIMAPRAGORN, SAYING: "The Foreign Ministry has commented that it (Trafficking in Persons Report) does not reflect our efforts therefore I have sent a letter to the U.S." JOURNALISTS LISTENING TANASAK SPEAKING AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) THAI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER, GENERAL TANASAK PATIMAPRAGORN, SAYING: "I, speaking as the government, am confident (that Thailand can be lifted from Tier 3) but whether or not we will get lifted, we won't be disappointed. That means that we are still determined. Next year, we are even more confident, due to various phone calls and discussions that have taken place, that they (U.S.) will recognise our efforts." MEDIA SITTING TANASAK LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 12th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5VK37Q5LASRK7MTGWCJYETL31
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Tuesday (July 28) that Thailand would continue its work on tackling human trafficking as the U.S. State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons report kept the country on the lowest rank for a second year.
    The U.S. government's decision to keep Thailand on its list of worst human-trafficking centres for an unprecedented two straight years highlights the suspected role of Thai officials in the trade despite government efforts to stop it.
    Prayuth said Thailand was working to solve the situation step by step.
    "No, nothing to worry about. We will continue to do whatever work we have to. This is the matter of following international rules. There were a lot of problems in the past which we are solving step by step; to amend the laws, continue to monitor operational practices by authorities and (carrying out) punishments against authorities (involved)."
    "Take it easy. We are solving them. We are not staying idle. We are not solving this for anyone else. We are solving this for our Thailand. For example, trying to solve the (unlawful) fishery so that we don't have to face legal action from other countries," he added.
    The annual report, published on Monday (July 27), comes days after Thailand indicted 72 people, including fifteen state officials, over suspected links to human trafficking.
    Their arrests came as a result of what Thai police called their biggest-ever investigation into human trafficking.
    However, the crackdown in May and June came too late to be considered for the U.S. report, which covers Thai government efforts to eliminate trafficking for the year through to March.
    Thai Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tanasak Patimapragorn said the report failed to take into account Thailand's efforts.
    "The Foreign Ministry has commented that it (Trafficking in Persons Report) does not reflect our efforts therefore I have sent a letter to the U.S.," Tanasak said.
    He added the government remained determined.
    "I, speaking as the government, am confident (that Thailand can be lifted from Tier 3) but whether or not we will get lifted, we won't be disappointed. That means that we are still determined. Next year, we are even more confident, due to various phone calls and discussions that have taken place, that they (U.S.) will recognise our efforts," Tanasak said before attending a joint committee meeting with Myanmar.
    While the police stepped up efforts to crack down on trafficking in May and June, the government investigated fewer human trafficking cases last year than in 2013, according to the State Department and a Thai government report.
    Thailand also prosecuted fewer people and convicted fewer perpetrators of the crime in 2014.
    The United States automatically downgraded Thailand, one of the oldest U.S. treaty allies in Asia, to the lowest "Tier 3" status in its 2014 Trafficking in Persons report after Thailand stayed on the report's so-called Tier 2 Watch List, the second-lowest rank, for four consecutive years.
    The decision to keep Thailand on Tier 3 makes it the first time Thailand has languished on the lowest tier for two consecutive years since the report began in 2001.
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