The annual US State Department report on efforts to combat human trafficking was released last week, with deserved praise for Thailand. For the second time in three years, the benchmark Trafficking in Persons Report raised the country's ranking against all nations of the world. The promotion to "Tier 2" caused celebration in the military regime. It also warned of serious challenges in the new campaign to raise Thailand from second place to the top.
As the report itself warned, there are still shortcomings in Thai efforts against one of the most despicable cross-border crimes. And that is where the major problem lies. While the current coup regime has launched successful efforts against human trafficking, every neighbour on every border has not. Internally, both the government and Thai people are now united against the crime. The road to success, however, runs through countries where thriving people-smugglers see Thailand's open borders as an opportunity.
It is important to note that the report is a highly credible effort of the US government. It is not perfect. But more than any current agency, the US State Department puts huge effort and manpower into producing a fair and objective book, with rankings for every country and territory. It even ranks the United States. While the US -- and 38 other nations -- receive a Tier 1 ranking, the report is as critical of the US as of Thailand and its neighbours. Unlike many US reports, the rankings and criticism on human trafficking are fair to all.
The TIP report, as it is called, begins by stating that Thailand "is making significant efforts" to eliminate trafficking of people. The successful prosecutions of gangs that exploited Rohingya are noted, including a lengthy prison sentence for a then-ranking army general officer. Human trafficking has all but disappeared in the fishing industry, and in seafood packing. This achievement alone deserves major praise, as well as the resulting confidence in Thai seafood exports abroad.
The success in reaching a Tier 2 ranking is notable. When the regime seized power at gunpoint in 2014, six years of Democrat and Pheu Thai regimes had dumped Thailand from Tier 2 to Tier 3 alongside the world's worst violators of human rights and exploitation. Strong efforts and real achievement by the new regime raised Thailand to "watch list" status in 2016.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called the 2018 report "the best news of the day". He awarded kudos to local authorities for embracing efforts to combat the problem. And he quite correctly warned that to stay on this right track will require increased efforts.
The report itself shows why. Both Laos and Myanmar were demoted in this year's report to Tier 3. Countries on that list stand accused of doing nothing to combat human trafficking -- or even encouraging it.
Laos is both a source and a path for sex trafficking. Myanmar has failed to halt human trafficking; in the case of Rohingya people, it has encouraged it. China's efforts against trafficking, particularly women bound for the Thai sex industry, see it properly placed in the report at Tier 3.
Even Malaysia has largely halted its anti-trafficking efforts in many areas. After the major success of bringing to justice the gangs kidnapping Rohingya migrants, Malaysia in 2017 was found wanting. It is encouraging that new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has promised stronger efforts, beginning immediately. The only bright spot among our neighbours is Cambodia, placed alongside Thailand in Tier 2 of the US report.
The region is slowly coming to grips with the scourge of human trafficking. It is gratifying that Thailand is performing better than the surrounding countries. For moral as well as legal reasons, authorities across the country should double their efforts against one of the world's most exploitive crimes.
