When Thailand's ranking in anti-human trafficking efforts improved last year in the US annual assessment, the government boldly declared that Thailand would make the top ranking by 2023.
The US State Department usually releases its annual Trafficking in Persons Report in June, so we will soon learn if Thailand can meet this goal.
Last year, the US raised Thailand's standing from Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 2, bringing a huge relief to the government.
Had Thailand remained on the Tier 2 Watch List for two consecutive years, it risked being downgraded further to Tier 3 where it would sit among the world's worst human trafficking offenders.
Apart from facing specific US sanctions, Thailand's export sector would have suffered greatly as businesses would avoid doing trade with such a "pariah" nation.
Thailand has become a hub for human trafficking due to political unrest and economic hardship in neighbouring countries.
The plight of migrant workers is further exacerbated by ethnic prejudice, lax laws and corruption amid systemic negligence.
The country's record in human trafficking hit an all-time low in 2015 with the discovery of mass graves of the Rohingya in southern Thailand and the media exposure of slave labour in the fishing industry.
The European Union's threat to boycott Thai seafood over its failure to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing prompted the government to enact laws and measures to clean up the industry.
Despite better regulations, eliminating human trafficking and slave labour remains challenging if the offenders still escape punishment.
The documentary Ghost Fleet screened early this month in Bangkok.
It sheds light on the terror and tragedies of slave workers in Thai fishing fleets and highlights the difficulties of bringing justice to the survivors and thousands of lives lost.
A search and rescue operation portrayed in the documentary found slave workers from Thai fishing fleets stranded on remote islands in Indonesia, never to see their families again.
Many perished at sea or on the islands. Meanwhile, torture and abuse have left the survivors traumatised for life.
They are the victims of illegal fishing that was allowed to operate for decades due to state negligence and corruption.
Thousands of slave workers have returned to Thailand as a result of the rescue efforts, which were spearheaded by the Labour Protection Network and civic organisations in Indonesia.
However, the state authorities have taken no further action to bring charges against the boat owners and traffickers.
For the survivors who decided to seek justice in court, their fight was long and arduous due to the unsympathetic nature of the legal system.
Meanwhile, thousands of victims of trafficking and slavery remain trapped in Indonesia, waiting for rescue and justice.
The government has not taken action to locate them and bring them home. The remains of those who passed away on the islands also must be brought back to their families for religious rites.
Such inaction demonstrates the state's disregard for human rights and inability to protect workers' rights and bring traffickers to justice.
The government needs to do more to make its laws and rules effective. For instance, officials require training to distinguish between victims of human trafficking and illegal immigrants. The victims' deportation only helps the traffickers.
The registration of migrant workers must be more flexible with effective oversight to prevent employers from limiting workers' freedom of movement as well as guaranteeing fair pay and working conditions.
The inspectors of fishing fleets must also work harder to ensure operators comply with the new standards.
Currently, migrant workers in Thailand are not permitted to form unions for better working conditions. This policy must change.
Equally important, the government must address the use of defamation lawsuits by business operators against workers and advocacy groups which impede efforts to protect the rights of workers.
It must provide adequate support and assistance to victims of trafficking and forced labour throughout lengthy court hearings so they can see the cases to their end.
The government must punish traffickers, abusive fishing operators, and corrupt officials for their crimes in this area.
It must help victims obtain justice and uphold the law.
Without decisive actions, the pledge to reduce illicit fishing and forced labour will amount to little more than rhetoric with little prospect of saving the country from the human trafficking notoriety it has long sought to avoid.
