Surapong to give US report on human trafficking

Foreign Affairs Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul will today submit a report to the US on Thailand's progress in curbing human trafficking in the hope it will prevent Thailand falling to the lowest, Tier-3, ranking in the 2013 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. A drop from last year's ranking of 2.5 could affect Thai exports to the US.

Surapong will submit the report on implementing Thailand's anti-human trafficking plan 2012 via US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, then discuss with her the TIP Report 2013 and affirm Thailand's determination to curb human trafficking.

Thailand has been on the Tier 2 watch list for the last three years and as such risks being relegated to the third tier, of "countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so". Such a relegation would likely hit Thai exports to the US, especially of frozen fish and shrimp.

In related news, two men and one woman were arrested yesterday in Mukdahan's Muang district for allegedly procuring two 13-year-old girls for prostitution.

The arrests were made by the police anti-human trafficking division, who also announced the arrest of a 39-year-old woman for allegedly procuring a 15-year-old girl for prostitution in Nakhon Phanom's Muang district, and the arrest of a 22-year-old go-go bar manager in Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district for procuring eight women under the age of 18 for prostitution.