Fishermen threaten strike over new regulations

By Jintamas Saksornchai, Staff Reporter

 

Fishermen protest in front of the Pattani City Hall against new fishing regulations on Wednesday.

 

BANGKOK — Thai fisherman Wednesday threatened a national strike next week if the government adopts international regulations they say will severely damage their industry.

 

The National Fisheries Association in 22 provinces today petitioned their provincial government offices against the ratification of a year-old labor convention adopted by the International Labour Organization, a UN agency. They also asked the government to reconsider other recently introduced regulations.

 

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2018/08/01/fishermen-threaten-strike-over-new-regulations/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-8-1

Change some can't take change old habits die hard.

The lack of critical thinking doesn't allow them to realize if they keep violating international rulings there will be no customers (other than domestic). 

Let the pea brains strike and find out how they'll fare without any income for days, if not weeks.

 

In a country that is trying to catch on to modern times and international standards, there is no pleasing everybody and every single interest group with vested agendas. 

 

 

 

 

Fishermen issue fresh ultimatum to government

By THE NATION

 

 

Warn they would stop fishing if treaty, that ‘does not suit local conditions’ is ratified

 

FISHERMEN in 22 seaside provinces have threatened to stop catching fish, bringing the country’s fishing industry to a standstill, if the government fails to address their grievances within seven days. 

 

They issued the ultimatum yesterday after hearing that the government is preparing to ratify the C188 Work in Fishing Convention, which they deem as too strict. 

 

 

“The appendix of this convention requires that each fishing boat has one bathroom per four crewmen, a library, a fitness room and a recreational room. Compliance with such rules means that all fishing boats in Thailand would have to be reconfigured,” said Ranong Fishermen Association vice president Surasak Jimaphan. 

 

He said even the United States and Australia had not yet ratified the C188. 

 

 

He was speaking as representatives of local fishing operators in 22 provinces simultaneously submitted a similar petition to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha via their provincial governors. 

 

The petition listed seven demands and required the government to respond within seven days. 

 

The key demands are that the government refrain from ratifying the C188 and the government solve the labour shortage in the fishing industry.

 

It is estimated that the industry is short by about 50,000 workers. 

 

 

According to the petition, the government should allow illegal migrants to work in the sector for two years by registering themselves and acquiring fishing-related identification papers. Also, the government should urgently implement its stated plan to buy fishing boats from those fishermen who wish to sell in the face of the stricter new regulations.

 

The National Fisheries Association of Thailand has passed a resolution for its members to press for the demands. 

The Pattani Fisheries Association’s president Phubes Jantanamit said his group also wanted the Fisheries Department to improve current regulations governing fishing boats. 

 

“The current rules are too complicated to implement. And each governing centre has different standards,” he said. 

 

He also complained that requiring fishermen to install vessel monitoring systems (VMS) on their boats meant they would have to shoulder the VMS cost even if the boats were moored. 

 

 

Sittichai Pamornwisit, who represents Trang fishermen, said the number of fishing boats in his province had declined from more than 400 to just a little over 100 now. 

 

“So, we ask for sympathy and help from the government,” he said. 

 

Adviser to the Samut Songkhram Fisheries Association, Pongsathorn Chaiwat, said the authorities’ move to regulate the Thai fishing sector based on European practices had adversely affected local fishermen. 

 

He said some fishing families had been prosecuted and driven into bankruptcy. 

 

 

At present, the maximum fine against fishing operators is Bt30 million. 

 

“If the government does not respond to our demands, we will submit our petition to the King,” Pongsathorn said. 

 

The government has taken significant measures to reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in recent years, partly because the country’s ranking in the Trafficking in Persons report of the United States (US) dropped to Tier 3 - the worst - in 2014. The EC had also threatened to bar imports of Thai fishing products.

 

Between 2016 and 2017, Thailand was upgraded to Tier 2 – Watch List. 

 

This year, Thailand’s ranking improved further at Tier 2. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30351244

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-02

 

I don't have any sympathy for these people; For decades, Thai fishermen have abused the hell out of fishing grounds and ignored conservation efforts, they have utilized human slavery as their primary labour source, and they have ignored and disregarded all attempts to reform their industry.

 

Go on strike.

 

Please.

 

Perhaps the fishing grounds will have a chance to breathe and no one will be forced to toil under inhumane conditions for a spell.

 

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thai fisherman Wednesday threatened a national strike next week if the government adopts international regulations they say will severely damage their industry.

Go ahead.

 

The less you fish, the better. 

 

Please feel free to retire permanently. 

Edited August 1, 20187 yr by Bluespunk

I can see the shortest strike ever coming up.ill give them 30 minutes.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“The appendix of this convention requires that each fishing boat has one bathroom per four crewmen, a library, a fitness room and a recreational room.

To be fair, the regulation requiring a library seems a bit over the top. A library requires readers.

So, only chicken and pork will be on the menu for a couple of weeks.

This is all very well, but if you screw up a guys livelihood you'd better heve something in place to replace it. The Somali pirates were originally fishermen.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The petition listed seven demands and required the government to respond within seven days. 

A good response would be 'Go **** Yourselves!' 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“The current rules are too complicated to implement. And each governing centre has different standards,” he said.

Well, everybody marching to their own drum and having their own rules is one of the biggest features of THAINESS.

 

Surprised these fishermen are not overflowing with pride. Or, maybe most of them are indeed not Thai. 

Edited August 2, 20187 yr by Fex Bluse

...if they require 'disposable' foreign fishermen...with zero rights or security... to conduct business...

 

...then....the industry should be deemed...'not viable'....end of story...

 

...and an end to the nightmares of hapless foreigners seeking gainful employment...

It doesn't matter what is ratified. Nothing will be enforced. It will be business as usual.

like everything else in Thailand when someone see anyone else making money they all jump on the wagon and do the same thing. Fishing is the same, there are way too many fishermen/boats, fish have been decimated due to the heavy fishing and the illegal methods used, thinning the amount of boats so the fish stocks could re build  would be a great start , it would also mean not as many workers needed. Problem is most of the boats are years old as the owners dont want to spend money on upgrades, this is why they are bitching so hard, they want to keep using their obsolete boats. The govt needs to remain focused on this and ignore their claims, these fishermen are the people that have destroyed their own industry and want to keep on doing it, they all need to be shown they cannot get away with it any longer

6 hours ago, webfact said:

the C188 Work in Fishing Convention

This is what I found: https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:C188

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“The appendix of this convention requires that each fishing boat has one bathroom per four crewmen, a library, a fitness room and a recreational room.

Yes on bathroom, no on library and hyperbole.

Annex Three, Fishing vessel accommodation,

• Tubs or showers, toilets and washbasins 

  61. On vessels of 24 metres in length and over, for all fishers who do not occupy rooms to which sanitary facilities are attached, there shall be provided at least one tub or shower or both, one toilet, and one washbasin for every four persons or fewer.

  62. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 61, the competent authority may, after consultation, decide that there shall be provided at least one tub or shower or both and one washbasin for every six persons or fewer, and at least one toilet for every eight persons or fewer, where the competent authority is satisfied that this is reasonable and will not result in discomfort to the fishers.

• Recreational facilities                                                                                                                                                         70. For vessels of 24 metres in length and over, appropriate recreational facilities, amenities and services shall be provided for all fishers on board. Where appropriate, mess rooms may be used for recreational activities.

It's probably accurate that none of Thailand's existing fishing fleet meets current C188 standards due to traditional and culturally impressed boat designs used by the industry for the last couple hundred years. The Thai navy has progressed beyond the slaved-rowed galleons of the 15th century to state-of-art 21st century designs and it doesn't per se produce any revenue towards the nation's GDP.

 

Perhaps it's time for the military government to divert some of its defense budget to modernizing Thailand's fishing fleets through long-term, low interest loans, grants and other financial assistance as provided in the agricultural and construction sectors. Economic sustainability of Thailand's fishing sector is as important as securing the nation's borders and waterways.

20 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

The lack of critical thinking doesn't allow them to realize if they keep violating international rulings there will be no customers (other than domestic). 

More complicated than that

allot of these news stupid rules make it harder to make money and people have started to sell their boats 

 

stupid things like every boat must have a toilet even though they don’t use it and other crazy stuff 

On 8/1/2018 at 6:05 PM, from the home of CC said:

The lack of critical thinking doesn't allow them to realize if they keep violating international rulings there will be no customers (other than domestic). 

Or fish