Thailand, Australia Underscore Cooperation to Fight Human Trafficking, Transnational Crime

Ambassador of the Commonwealth of Australia Angela Jane Macdonald paid a courtesy call on Thailand Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha on Oct. 3 at the Ivy Room, Thai Khu Fah Building, Government House, as per a press release by the Royal Thai Government on the same day.

In their meeting, Macdonald and Chan-o-cha underscored the two countries' aims to cooperate as partners under the Joint Action Plan on Strategic Partnership (2022-2025) in areas like security, anti-human trafficking, cybersecurity, public health, education, and people relations. 

Anti-human trafficking is identified as one of the country's national agendas. Working closely together and reinforcing cooperation, Australia and Thailand will focus on clamping down on human trafficking and transnational crime to achieve “tangible success” through the former’s Counter Trafficking in Persons Center of Excellence.

Australia likewise supported Thailand as host of the APEC 2022. The two parties also agreed on growing investment cooperation in areas of mutual needs, with Chan-o-cha inviting the government of Australia to invest in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The EEC offers investors full infrastructure and benefits like the Smart Visa and tax privileges.