TIP Office and IJM discussed human trafficking and child sexual abuse issues with DSI

TIP Office and IJM discussed human trafficking and child sexual abuse issues with DSI

On October 16 2018, 02.00 p.m., Pol.Col.Paisit Wongmuang, the DSI's Director-General, assigned Pol.Col.Songsak Raksaksakul (DSI's Deputy Director-General) to welcome a delegation from the U.S. Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) and from the International Justice Mission (IJM-a non-profit human rights organization) for discussing the human trafficking and child sexual abuse issues in Thailand. The delegation comprises of 2 representatives from TIP Office (Mrs. Julie Anderson, Program Advisor and Mrs. Caitlin Heidenreich, Analyst) and 3 representatives from IJM (Mr. Andrey Sawchenko, Mr. Andrew Wasuwongse, and Mr. Bill Long) and Mrs. Cheanchom Thongjen, Thai official.

The U.S. delegation's courtesy call is a part of information gathering from relevant agencies in Thailand to assess the status of Thailand for publicizing in the U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) 2019. The U.S. delegation was informed of the DSI's fight against human trafficking and child sexual abuse, such as

- the investigation on Cambodian forced labors in fishing boats of which the intelligence was supported to the DSI by the IJM,

- the fight against child sexual abuse by search and arrest of the suspects in Surin Province which was conducted simultaneously with the search and arrest of the accomplices in Australia, leading to the search in Lampang Province and the arrest of suspects in Min Buri District, Bangkok, and

- the investigation of trafficking in persons for prostitution (Victoria Secreat Massage Palor Case, Moroccan women lured into prostitution in Thailand case, Chomdao Karaoke Case and Thai women lured into prostitution in Korea and Bahrain case).

Besides, the delegation was also informed of the roles of Ministry of Justice and the DSI in prevention and suppression of human trafficking cases involving government officials. The disciplinary and criminal proceedings were taken against 59 government officials since 2012.