Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said state employees involved in human trafficking will face heavy consequences.
His comments came during a meeting of the Committee for the Coordinated Monitoring of Anti-Trafficking in Persons (CMP Committee). The forum noted the forthcoming Trafficking in Persons report for Thailand, which would include the outcomes of anti-trafficking operations.
Deputy Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn was proposed as the chair of an ad hoc panel to oversee the management and investigation of cases involving victims of trafficking at this meeting.
General Prawit has advised senior officers to keep their ranks free of traffickers by prohibiting their subordinates from engaging in the practice.
He said that government agencies need to collaborate more closely with NGOs and international groups to combat human trafficking, and that efforts against the crime must address the victims’ mental health.
An uptick in arrests and prosecutions for human trafficking cases has been reported in Thailand. General Prawit stated that the rising figure demonstrates the success of suppression operations and that Thailand is dedicated to permanently eliminating human trafficking.
