The Bangkok Post on 19 February 2016 by Patsara Jikkham,
The government has launched a fresh campaign against human trafficking, offering incentives to those who provide useful information leading to the arrest of suspects in connection with human trafficking and smuggling cases.
Deputy Prime Minister Narong Pipattanasai yesterday said authorities are deciding the amount an informant, who gives a tip-off, should be rewarded. Officials, police and investigators will also receive incentives.
The reward serves as motivation for citizens to contribute information to authorities and urges authorities’ involvement in prevention and suppression of trafficking, he added.
The campaign is aimed at curbing state officials from getting involved in trafficking and smuggling.
He was speaking yesterday at the state anti-trafficking commission meeting, which he chaired, at Government House.
The meeting emphasised that state agency supervisors must closely monitor their subordinates to ensure they are not involved in illegal activities related to human trafficking, Adm Narong said. If a subordinate is found to be linked to malfeasance, the supervisor must report the case to the anti-human trafficking commission within 60 days.
Adm Narong said government agencies have been actively combatting human trafficking and have focused prevention and suppression mechanisms.
He said punishments will be doubled if authorities are found guilty of charges related to human trafficking and smuggling. Disciplinary punishment would be taken against a supervisor who doesn’t report subordinates’ wrongdoing to the commission.
He cited 35 state officers who are among 1,685 alleged human traffickers in 1,271 cases between 2013 and 2015. In the high-profile Rohingya human trafficking case alone, 155 suspected traffickers including 21 state officials have been arrested.
Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/869628/new-trafficking-blitz-begins
