Australia can’t be naive about human trafficking in Asia

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong's visit to Thailand to announce Australia's support for a new training centre to counter human trafficking is, on the surface, a savvy move in her efforts to engage better with the region.

In reality, it is the latest demonstration of Australia's naivete about authoritarian regimes in the region and of the Australian “bubble” — as well as the Canberra “bubble” that lies within that. The truth is that the military and security forces, such as Thailand's police force and its ruling military, play an often central role in human trafficking across the region. Thailand is not the only offender here, of course; its neighbours Myanmar and Cambodia are also in the main group of offenders, as is the generally corrupt Malaysia.

All four countries are on Tier 2 or Tier 3 of the US government's annual rankings in its Trafficking in Persons report. Tier 2 countries are not fully compliant but are making “significant efforts” to be compliant with minimum standards, while Tier 3 countries are those whose governments do not fully meet the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.