MOJ and Australian government opened the Centre of Excellence for Counter Trafficking in Persons at DSI Academy

Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, and H.E. Dr. Angela Macdonald, Ambassador of Australia to Thailand, co-chaired the opening ceremony of the Counter Trafficking in Persons Centre of Excellence (CTIP COE) at the DSI Academy in Nong Chok District, Bangkok. Police Major Yuthana Praedam, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Acting Director-General of DSI, and DSI executives and officials welcomed the guests. The event was also attended by representatives from government agencies, international organizations, the private sector, and civil society involved in combating human trafficking from both Thailand and Australia. These included the Office of the Judiciary, the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, the Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNODC, IOM, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Department of Home Affairs, the Bali Process Regional Support Office, the A21 Foundation, and the IJM Foundation.

On this occasion, Police Major Yuthana Praedam reported on the collaboration between Thai and Australian agencies, which have cooperated in combating human trafficking for over 20 years. The Ministry of Justice plays a crucial role in driving this collaboration through the ASEAN-Australia Counter-Trafficking Program, leading to the successful establishment of the CTIP COE under a Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments. The center aims to enhance the capabilities and capacity of law enforcement officials across the region, establish internationally recognized best practices to address human trafficking in accordance with the rule of law, and summarize the results of two pilot training programs on preventing and suppressing human trafficking: a basic course and a specialized course. A total of 48 participants from government agencies and civil society organizations involved in preventing and suppressing human trafficking have completed the training.

Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong emphasized the importance of international cooperation in addressing human trafficking, stating that "Human trafficking is a serious crime that must be elevated to an international agenda, and all human beings should be protected. One crucial aspect is developing effective tools to track assets and money laundering proceeds from human trafficking. We hope that this CTIP COE will foster greater collaboration and become an international hub for combating human trafficking. We thank the Australian Government for their support in helping to improve Thailand's human trafficking situation."

After the opening ceremony, the Minister of Justice and the Australian Ambassador to Thailand presented certificates to the trainees who completed the CTIP COE training. They also visited the academic training sessions and jointly planted black ebony trees on the center's premises to provide shade and symbolize the strong relationship between the two countries.