Prawn Farmers Burn Airbus In Anti-eu Protest

[george]

Prawn farmers burn replica Airbus in anti-EU protest

SURAT THANI: -- A group of over 100 prawn farmers from fourteen provinces in Thailand's southern region yesterday burned a replica Airbus plane and poured wine into the ground in protest against the European Union (EU)’s decision to revoke special import privileges on Thai prawns.

What began as a simple meeting of the black tiger prawn farmers in a Surat Thani hotel soon became a vivid demonstration of the strength of feeling against EU tariff regulations.

At stake is the EU’s decision to revoke the generalised system of preference (GSP) status on Thai prawns.

Mr. Ekphot Yotphinit, chair of the Surat Thani Prawn Farmers’ Association, described the EU’s decision as the most serious issue affecting Thai prawn farmers.

Accusing the EU of anti-Thai bias, he said that Thailand was being forced to pay higher tariffs than other countries in Southeast Asia, with a 12 percent tariff on fresh prawns and a 20 percent tariff on processed prawns.

Other countries in the region pay a 4 percent and 7 percent tariff on fresh and processed prawns respectively.

“In the past, Thailand set an export target of Bt200 billion for prawns. This has already been cut to Bt60-70 billion. What we need now is negotiations to persuade the EU to reduce tariffs to the same level as other countries”, Mr. Ekphot said.

But words of encouragement came from Thai Trade Representative Kantathir Suphamongkhon, who said that the EU was showing signs of willingness to bring the taxes levied on Thailand in line with those levied on other countries in the region.

Expressing ’93 percent’ certainty that the GSP status would be restored, he said that the new tariff structure was likely to come into place on 1 January 2005.

However, the GSP status would be contingent on Thailand ensuring that the expansion of its prawn market in the EU did not exceed 15 percent.

After the meeting the prawn farmers doused the replica Airbus in petrol and set it alight, while pouring wine on the ground as an indication of anti-EU feeling.

--TNA 2004-11-30

[stumonster]

the headline made me think the executive jet was a pile of ashes.

maybe as a gesture of understanding and support for the farmers the prime minister could fly in...... Ah, maybe not a good idea.

[Thetyim]

the headline made me think the executive jet was a pile of ashes.

maybe as a gesture of understanding and support for the farmers the prime minister could fly in...... Ah, maybe not a good idea.

Yes, I thought the same at first.

Just George trying to be sensational yet again.

[eljeque]

I would like to see one shrimp farmer ask why they are exporting their shrimp instead of selling it locally. I would like to see one Thai politician state that the government will be improving unions and enforcing wage rules in order to increase the median and mode wage level of the Thai populace so that more Thai people will be able to afford shrimp, so that farmers will not need to rely on overseas markets where the populace-employees receive a share of the take of business profits.

just woke up from that dream