"U.S. downgrades Myanmar, raises Thailand in human trafficking report", 1 Jul 2016

The United States has placed Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Sudan and Haiti on its list of worst human trafficking offenders, drawing guarded praise from some human rights groups following criticism that last year's State Department report was politicized.While more than two dozen countries were downgraded in the closely watched Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report announced on Thursday, Thailand was removed from the bottom rung despite what the State Department described as "widespread forced labor" in the country's vital seafood industry.Other nations demoted to the lowest ranking were Turkmenistan, Djibouti, Papua New Guinea and Suriname. But the Philippines, a key U.S. ally widely known for its thriving sex industry, was moved up to the top tier - the same level as countries like the United States and Germany - even though the report said sex trafficking there was still a "significant problem."...Despite that, some human rights groups especially welcomed downgrades for Myanmar and Uzbekistan, strategically important U.S. partners, and said those decisions may reflect an effort to restore credibility to the annual report...