Thailand to report progress on anti-human trafficking moves to US by March

BANGKOK, March 9 (TNA) - Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan has called on all relevant government agencies to speed up solutions to alleged human trafficking, while the Thai government will report progress on its anti-human trafficking moves to the United States by the end of this month. General Prawit made the call while chairing a meeting with representatives of the relevant agencies at Bangkok's Government House on Wednesday, urging as well that they enforce relevant laws strictly. General Prawit told the meeting that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has emphasised on the necessity to make concrete achievements in the matter; so, unless all relevant agencies cooperated, the government's attempts would not bear fruit. "Those who intentionally violate laws must be prosecuted. They must accept punishments," General Prawit stressed. After the meeting, the Thai deputy premier told reporters that participants reported progress on their anti-human trafficking efforts and they will meet again on March 14 to prepare a report to be sent to Washington by this month. According to the Thai deputy premier, the report will cover all Thailand's achievements in the matter, including arrests of suspected human traffickers, actions against labour abuses and legal cases involved by corrupt officials. The Thai deputy prime minister, who oversees national security, vowed that arrested human traffickers will be prosecuted within a year. (TNA)