Thailand has retained its Tier 2 ranking in the United States’ 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, marking the fourth year in a row the kingdom has remained in the category.
The ranking reflects efforts to combat human trafficking but also highlights persistent shortcomings, according to officials.
The TIP Report, released by the US Department of State on Monday, September 29, assessed the anti-trafficking performance of 188 countries and territories. Kantapong Rangsisawang, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, said the evaluation acknowledged Thailand’s significant progress through joint efforts between government bodies and civil society organisations.
Among the key improvements noted were an increase in trafficking-related investigations, prosecutions and convictions. Thailand also ramped up cooperation with foreign governments to repatriate victims and launched an integrated facility to streamline victim identification and referral procedures.
Officials consolidated two screening forms and revised their guidelines to include new indicators of forced child labour and criminal exploitation. These updates aimed to ensure a more uniform approach across agencies in recognising and supporting victims.
Despite these advancements, the US report pointed to several areas where Thailand still falls short of international standards. Inconsistent interview practices during labour inspections and victim screenings meant many victims, particularly those forced into labour or illegal activity, remained unidentified and unsupported.
Foreign victims were often legally required to remain in shelters for the duration of court proceedings, a policy that discouraged some from stepping forward or acting as witnesses. Service quality and availability were also found to be patchy, especially in rural areas.
According to Bangkok Post, the report further criticised widespread corruption and alleged official complicity, particularly in border zones, as significant barriers to fully addressing trafficking.
“While Thailand has made commendable progress, critical gaps still exist,” the report stated, listing 11 recommendations for improvement, several of which echoed those issued last year.
These include bolstering victim identification processes, expanding and standardising protection services, and aggressively tackling corruption linked to trafficking networks.
Kantapong said Thailand remains committed to addressing these concerns and is actively pursuing policy reforms in line with the US recommendations.
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