BANGKOK, 7 July 2015, Deputy Chief of Royal Thai Police Police General Aek Angsananont has reported that another 17 suspects were arrested in connection with Rohingya human trafficking.
Pol. Gen. Aek said currently, 72 human trafficking suspects are being prosecuted, with another 46 still at large. Police collected a testimony from one of the ten eyewitnesses in the Rohingya human trafficking cases. The Deputy Police Chief added that officers recently seized 72 million baht in assets belonging to human traffickers.
Meanwhile, Minister of Justice General Paiboon Koomchaya has assigned the Department of Special Investigation and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security as the main agencies handling human trafficking-related cases. Several related units will assist with the investigations, and the court is expected to establish a new division dedicated to human trafficking trials.
Charge d’affaires ad interim at U.S. Mission Thailand W. Patrick Murphy yesterday met Industry Minister Chakkamon Phasukwanit to discuss the current human trafficking situation in Thailand. Minister Chakkamon reassured the American diplomat that the government has put in place a strict policy to deal with the issue, especially in regards to both Rohingya human trafficking and illegal fishing labor.
