Thailand expected to be moved to US better tier on human trafficking

BANGKOK, June 28 (TNA) - Thailand expects to be moved to a US better tier watch list on human trafficking next year, as there is now more concrete progress, especially in the number of human trafficking convicts to which the United States attaches the most importance. Because of the progress, Sek Wannamethee, Director-General of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of American and South Pacific Affairs, told reporters on Friday that Washington is believed to move Thailand to a better tier watch list on human trafficking in its assessment in June 2014. Sek, who heads an ad-hoc working group on the implementation of anti-human trafficking plans in Thailand, acknowledged that the Thai Kingdom will report progress on anti-human trafficking to Washington in November 2013 and in January 2014. Besides, a US delegation tasked with preparing the updated human trafficking report is scheduled to visit Thailand in August 2013 for a discussion and exchange of opinions, which will be a good opportunity for Thailand to explain details. The senior Thai official's remarks followed the US Department of State's release of a report on June 19, 2013 in which Thailand was maintained in the US Tier 2 Watch List on human trafficking for four consecutive years although Bangkok was exempted from being downgraded for the second year as it was implementing anti-human trafficking plans. According to the senior Thai official, Washington has not upgraded Thailand to a better list because it remains concerned over Thailand's slow justice system, resulting in a relatively-small number of convicted human traffickers, compared with the number of human trafficking cases to be handled. The senior Thai official acknowledged that he has kept discussing the acceleration of human trafficking cases with relevant authorities and has also raised the issue with the secretary to the Courts of Justice. (TNA)