Myanmar workers load fish onto a Thai-flagged cargo ship in Indonesia. (Photo Credit: AP)
Thai Govt concerned about fishing industry reputation
THAILAND
Monday, March 30, 2015, 02:40 (GMT + 9)
Thai government voiced its intention to combat forced labour in the fishing sector and take legal action against those involved but fears new reports on this issue could lead to repercussions on the fishery industry.
After a probe carried out by Associated Press (AP) on the remote Indonesian island village of Benjina revealing that fish caught by enslaved migrant workers was being exported from Thai ports to global markets, the Thai government vowed to take steps to address the issue, reported the news agency.
"If they still continue to exploit their fellow human beings, they should not be given any licenses to operate businesses in Thailand, and they must receive the punishment they deserve," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told the English-language Bangkok Post newspaper.
Besides, Thailand's biggest seafood company, Thai Union Frozen Products, announced that it immediately would cut ties with a supplier after determining it might be involved with forced labour and other abuses.
Meanwhile, further anti-slavery measures were taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who ensured this issue is being addressed by offering foreign migrant workers the same labour protections as Thai workers and by using surveillance systems on more than 7,700 fishing vessels, which has been scheduled to take place by June.
Moreover, the government has strengthened penalties for violating the country's anti-human trafficking law.
Despite all these steps taken to settle the issue, journalists from different agencies have reported on contradictions in the Thai government.
Minister Prayuth urged journalists not to report on human trafficking without considering how the news would affect the country's seafood industry and reputation abroad.
For his part, the country’s deputy prime minister, denied there were any slaves working on Thai-flagged fishing boats, instead saying the problems occurred in Indonesia.
The AP’s investigation also stirred reaction in the US State Department, the US seafood and retail industries.
AP informed that the agency informed that the Obama Administration plans to convene experts next month to learn about surveillance and enforcement technologies being piloted to track fishing in marine protected areas around the world.
The State Department, Defense Department and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are all participating.
All in all, the Thai Government hopes to convince Washington that its efforts over the past nine months since the latest United State's new Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report was released were enough to upgrade the country from the TIP's tier three - the lowest rating, Asia News Network reported.
Related articles:
- Another investigation reveals slave labour in seafood industry
- Thai IUU and modern slavery must be addressed as interconnected issues, EJF says
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