Thailand makes anti-human trafficking progress

BANGKOK, January 12 (TNA) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that progress has been made in the Thai government's attempts to address issues on alleged human trafficking-related problems. Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai told a press conference on Monday that the Thai government has tackled issues on alleged human trafficking problems well over the past six months, in response to the United States's inclusion of Thailand on its Tier 3 watch list in 2014. Don said that the Thai government's solutions to alleged human trafficking-related problems over the past six months have been comprehensive, including legal efforts having been made a national agenda and lead to improvements in many areas. Regarding legal efforts, Don elaborated, there have been progress on three issues, including a ministerial regulation having been introduced to protect fishery workers, an anti-human trafficking law having been passed to protect informants and authorities taking actions and the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) having endorsed the fishery act to offer clearer protection to fishery workers with a fine ceiling set as high as 30 million baht. Besides, 130 cases of alleged human trafficking have been handled and 104 people have been punished over the past year, while the national verification of 1.6 million illegal migrant workers has been set to finish within March 2015. The deputy foreign minister acknowledged, however, that Thailand's solutions to alleged human trafficking take times but assuring that the government is determined to solve the issue and expressing his hope it will be eliminated in the country as soon as possible. The deputy foreign minister stressed that the human trafficking situation in Thailand is positive because the government has done its best. According to the deputy foreign minister, past communications have also improved the United States' understanding and impression about the human trafficking situation in Thailand. (TNA)