Thailand has made positive progress in combating human trafficking over the past year, Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said Monday.
"I can say that the Prayut government has a strong desire to wipe out the chronic problem of human trafficking and is working harder than ever before," said Mr Don.
The deputy foreign minister named changes to Thailand's outdated security regulations and a focus on the wellbeing of both Thai and migrant workers as fundamental to progress on trafficking.
"The slavery market and human trafficking has been a problem in Thailand for too long. It must end as soon as possible," he added, as he outlined the government's achievements to date.
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Amendments to the Anti-Human Trafficking Act 2008 now stipulate that half of confiscated money and property earned through human trafficking will be used to compensate its victims. The other half will go to the anti-human trafficking fund.
The act, approved by the cabinet, allows victims to act as witnesses in human-trafficking cases. Incentives are also in place to encourage foreign victims to cooperate with Thailand's legal process, including giving pre-trial testimonials.
With regards to human trafficking and abuse in the fisheries industry, amendments to Labour Ministry regulations stipulate that workers on fishing vessels must be at least 18 years old.
They must also be given 10 hours of rest each working day and a minimum 30 days leave a year.
If the victims are children, they will be assigned social workers or psychologists under the amendment.
Legal assistance will also be provided for Thai and foreign workers.
The maximum fine for trafficking of fisheries workers has been set at 30 million baht.
Over the next three to six months, greater efforts will be made to check vessels and crewmen, amend related laws and regulations, verify the nationalities of migrant labourers and register them.
The government plans to compile a final report on human trafficking progress by the end of this month.
"Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha says there will be no exception for anyone who breaks human trafficking laws and they will surely face harsh punishment," the deputy minister said.
However, human rights defenders have denied any substantial improvement has been made in the situation since Thailand was downgraded to the lowest tier on the US Trafficking in Persons Report in June last year.
"The government has made some progress on human trafficking, but not enough," said human rights lawyer Surapong Kongchantuk, from the Lawyers Council of Thailand.
"Rohingya trafficking cases are a concern. Nothing is done about them," he said.
Mr Surapong said it was rare for Rohingya trafficking cases to reach the justice system.
Victims are often deported, he said.
Alleged involvement in trafficking by government officials is also a concern.
"The government needs serious law enforcement to combat human trafficking and must take legal action against the whole chain of trafficking gangs," he said.
Sompong Srakaew, founder and director of the Labour Rights Promotion Network Foundation, said the situation of Thailand's human trafficking has not improved.
In December last year, more than 25 Thai workers were lured to work on a fishing boat in Indonesian waters, showing that even Thai nationals aren't safe.
However, he believed the Labor Ministry's new regulations to protect workers in the fisheries industry will make a difference.