Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has praised US authorities for upgrading Thailand in its Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report from category "Tier 2 Watch List" to "Tier 2".
"It's the best news of the day," assistant government spokesman Athisit Chainuwat said yesterday quoting the premier.
He also said that Gen Prayut has pledged that Thailand will work harder to end all human trafficking-related problems.
Gen Prayut also praised local authorities for their "hard work" in solving problems, Col Athisit added.
The announcement, made by the US State Department on Thursday, was a seen as a boost for Thailand which had languished in the lowest Tier 3 category in 2014 along with Syria, Iran and North Korea.
In 2016, the US upgraded Thailand from Tier 3 to the Tier 2 Watchlist, a category in which countries are adjudged as not fully compliant with the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
Being placed in Tier 2 means the government has made significant strides in bringing the country into compliance with higher standards.
Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said yesterday Thailand's measures against human trafficking are "not carried out in direct response to the TiP report".
The government is primarily concerned with ensuring "peace" for people from all walks of life, both Thais and foreigners, under human rights principles, Mr Don said. However, it cannot be said that the government was not worried about its TIP status after Thailand was downgraded to Tier 3, he added.
Nattaya Phetcharat, of Apostleship of the Sea (Thailand), congratulated the government.
But, she warned the new ranking will require officials to work even harder in the fight against human trafficking.
Her Songkhla-based office, which helps crew members on fishing vessels, says it has seen the government's strong determination and resolve to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Her office also wants to see a similar effort in other sectors in which human rights are violated.
"The government is on the right track to deal with migrant worker problems by setting clear policies and working closely with its allies. This has never happened in governments led by political parties," she said.
Sompong Sakaeo, director of the Labour Rights Promotion Network NGO, also applauded the government's work, especially in the fishing industry where the number of labour trafficking victims has dropped significantly.
"Almost all fishing vessels are now registered and installed with a Vessel Monitoring System. Hundreds of shrimp-peeling sheds where migrant workers used to work in very bad conditions have been eradicated because they fear stiffer fines. We need to give the military government credit for its sincere intention to solve the problem," he said.
One result of the upgrade is Thai exports will become more acceptable in the eyes of international community, Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong said.
Products of the fishing business will enjoy a "better image" since the US and European Union are known for opposing forced labour, he said. In 2015, the EU threatened to ban imports of Thai seafood.
