Thailand and Malaysia are among 23 countries to receive the lowest ranking
By Matthew Pennington
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Failure to meet minimum standards in fighting human trafficking has landed Thailand and Malaysia on a State Department blacklist, a move that could strain relations with two important U.S. partners in Asia.
The State Department, however, improved its rating of strategic rival China. The department cited Beijing’s steps to abolish re-education-through-labor camps.
Secretary of State John Kerry launched the annual U.S. assessment of how 188 governments around the world have performed in fighting the flesh trade and other forms of exploitative labor.
Thailand had mounted a determined campaign to prevent a downgrade that could exact a reputational cost on its lucrative seafood and shrimp industries for which America is a key market.
Thai ambassador to the U.S., Vijavat Isarabhakdi expressed disappointment with his country’s downgrade, saying the report did not recognize “our vigorous, governmentwide efforts that yielded unprecedented progress and concrete results.” But he said Thailand would continue to collaborate closely with the U.S. on combating human trafficking.
The Trafficking in Persons Report is one of several annual assessments issued by the department on human rights-related topics, but it’s unusual in that it ranks nations, which can ruffle diplomatic feathers. It is based on the actions governments take, rather than the scale of the problem in their country. Globally, more than 20 million people are believed affected.
“There cannot be impunity for those who traffick in human beings. It must end,” Kerry said.
Thailand and Malaysia are among 23 countries to receive the lowest ranking, “tier 3.” Incumbents at that level include Iran, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Zimbabwe.
Two other nations were also demoted to that level: Venezuela and Gambia. China, put on tier 3 last year, was elevated to a watch list.
President Barack Obama now has 90 days to determine whether to apply sanctions against tier 3 governments.
The president can block various types of aid, such as arms financing, grants for cultural and educational exchange programs and could withdraw U.S. support for loans from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. But the U.S. often chooses not to, based on its national security interests, as it did last year for China, Russia and Uzbekistan.
Given the Obama administration’s attempt to deepen its ties with Asia, human rights groups had been watching closely to see whether Washington might shy away from downgrading Thailand and Malaysia, which attract millions of migrant laborers from poorer neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.
