BANGKOK: Thailand has been ranked in Tier 2 for two consecutive years in the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2023.

the TIP report released on Thursday (June 15) night stated that Thai government does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.

The efforts included increasing the number of trafficking investigations, prosecutions, and convictions; and initiating investigations of 35 allegedly complicit officials in 2022 and sentencing four to terms of imprisonment.

The report said Thai government also identified more trafficking victims, began implementation of the new National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and trained officials on its use.

However, it said the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas including inconsistent and ineffective interviewing practices during labor inspections and victim identification interviews left many trafficking victims unidentified and, therefore, without care, especially those exploited in forced labor.

Besides that, the report said authorities did not make sufficient efforts to protect trafficking victims exploited in forced labor in cyber scam operations in neighboring countries, including Thai citizens who entered the country after their exploitation.

It said the government’s requirements by law that most foreign victims remain in shelters throughout legal proceedings against traffickers deterred many potential victims from reporting their exploitation or agreeing to participate as witnesses, undercutting law enforcement and overall protection efforts. Significant gaps in the government’s provision of services to victims persisted.

“Corruption and official complicity continued to impede anti-trafficking efforts,” the report said.

In 2022, Thai government allocated approximately 441.7 million baht toward its prevention and suppression of trafficking budget, compared with approximately 4.46 million baht ($129,200) in 2021.

The government identified 444 trafficking victims in 2022, compared with approximately 424 victims identified in 2021. The 444 identified trafficking victims included 165 men and boy victims and 279 women and girl victims.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry said the TIP report reflected the government’s and all stakeholders’ strong efforts and progress in preventing and combatting human trafficking, including the increasing numbers of trafficking investigations, prosecutions, convictions and victim identification, the implementation of the NRM, the prosecution and sentencing of complicit officials, and enhanced capacity-building for relevant officials.

“The ultimate goals are to eradicate all forms of human trafficking as well as protect and prevent Thai citizens and foreign nationals in the country from falling victims to human trafficking, in line with the principles of human rights and humanitarianism to which Thailand has always adhered,” it said. - Bernama