On 24 July 2016, His Excellency Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand deposited the Instrument of Ratification for the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP) with H.E. Mr. Le Luong Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN.

          The ACTIP was signed by ASEAN Leaders during the 27th ASEAN Summit, on 21 November 2015 in Kuala Lumpur. It is ASEAN’s first regional legally binding instrument to combat trafficking in persons, with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation against trafficking in persons among ASEAN Member States. It builds on the ASEAN Declaration against Trafficking in Persons particularly Women and Children which was adopted in 2004. The purposes of this Convention are (1) to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, especially women and children (2) to protect and assist victims of trafficking in persons and (3) to promote cooperation among the parties in order to meet these objectives.

          The ratification of the Convention affirms Thailand’s continued commitment to combating human trafficking and is consistent with the Government’s policy which declared fighting human trafficking as a national agenda. It also underscores the Government’s commitment to cooperate with ASEAN Member States to jointly combat this crime. In addition to this regional legal instrument, the Thai Government also played a leading role in developing the ASEAN Plan of Action Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (APA) which took effect on 21 November 2015. 

          The ACTIP will enter into force once six ASEAN Member States have deposited the instrument of ratification of the Convention. Thailand is the third country to have ratified the Convention, reflecting the importance that the country attaches to combating trafficking in persons.