Earlier this month, high-ranking officials in the Thai government met with US lawmakers to showcase what the country has done to combat human trafficking and slave labor in the country.
The question now for shrimp and tuna importers is, was it enough to prevent a downgrade in the upcoming labor report and, if not, what are the repercussions?
According to a 2013 report, Thailand was ranked as a Tier II and placed on the "watch list." Earlier this month, 19 organizations, including Human Rights Watch and the American Federation of Labor, sent a letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry claiming the country "does not meet the minimum standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, nor is it taking real steps to meet those standards."
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