Australia's diplomatic relations with Thailand face strains if a former Thai police general is granted a special protection visa to stay in Australia.
Former senior officer Paween Pongsirin, who led high profile investigations into human trafficking gangs operating in southern Thailand, has refused high level appeals for his return to Thailand.
Paween fled to Australia in December claiming he faced death threats following arrests linked to the cases.
Thai police trafficking investigator seeks asylum in Australia
Thailand's former chief police investigator into human trafficking says he is seeking political asylum in Australia and fears for his life if he goes home.
Paween, now in Melbourne, has stood by claims of receiving several threats against his life from "those in authority" while leading the investigation.
"I just fled from death threats in Thailand. Why should I go back to face those threats again," he told local media.
The investigations were spurred on by international pressure for Thailand to crack down on illegal human trafficking in the country's south.
Paween's investigation team arrested more than 80 suspects including senior figures in the Thai military and police with links to the trafficking syndicates.
Facing increasing threats Paween quit the police force in November and fled to Australia in December on a tourist visa before claiming for refuge protection through the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
Observers say a decision to the claim may be expected in the near term.
Paween has rejected calls for his return to Thailand including from Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and national police chief, General Chathip Chaijinda.
He says he no longer trusts anyone, especially those in positions of authority.
"They have no credibility any more," he said.
Analysts say granting a special visa to the former police general would cast a shadow over bilateral relations with Thailand, currently under military rule.
Australia, the US and some European countries were highly critical of the military's takeover of power in May 2014.
But through 2015 Canberra moved to rebuild ties, including an official visit to Thailand last May by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Melbourne-based immigration lawyer, David Bongiorno, recently told AAP that Canberra was likely to be sympathetic to the application by Paween.
Bongiorno said given the evidence before the department it was "far more likely that Paween will meet the complimentary protection criteria".
