On 26 January 2015, General Thanasak Patimapragorn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs presided over and witnessed the Signing Ceremony of Subsidiary Arrangement between the Royal Thai Government and the Government of Australia relating to the Australia-Asia Program to Combat Trafficking in Persons (AAPTIP) which was signed by Miss Suchada Thaibunthao, Director-General of the Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency and H.E. Mr. Paul Robilliard, Australian Ambassador to Thailand, on behalf of the respective governments.  There were approximately 40 representatives from related agencies including Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Ministry of Labour, Royal Thai Police and Australia Embassy in Bangkok who witnessed the ceremony.

The AAPTIP program aims to reduce the motivations and opportunities for trafficking in persons both at national and regional level focusing on countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as to strengthen the criminal justice system. Moreover, Thailand and Australia have also planned to co-organize the 1st Regional Workshop on combatting trafficking in persons under AAPTIP on the first half of 2015.