The Bangkok Post on 19 February 2016 by\u00a0Patsara Jikkham,<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The reward serves as motivation for citizens to contribute information to authorities and urges authorities\u2019 involvement in prevention and suppression of trafficking, he added.<\/p>\n
The campaign is aimed at curbing state officials from getting involved in trafficking and smuggling.<\/p>\n
He was speaking yesterday at the state anti-trafficking commission meeting, which he chaired, at Government House.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Adm Narong said government agencies have been actively combatting human trafficking and have focused prevention and suppression mechanisms.<\/p>\n
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\u2019 wrongdoing to the commission.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n