Finnwatch Reveals Labour Abuses Among Thai Suppliers To Europe

[webfact]

Finnwatch reveals labour abuses among Thai suppliers to Europe

BANGKOK: -- Finnwatch, an independent researcher on corporate responsibility issues, on Monday accused a major Thai supplier of pineapple concentrate to Europe of extensive labour abuses.

Finnwatch’s research, conducted from October to December, found serious labour rights abuses at the facilities of Natural Fruit Company in Prachaub Kiri Khan province, 230 kilometres south-west of Bangkok.

The company is a key supplier to Dutch-based Refresco Group BV, which reportedly controls 20 per cent of the European private label soft drink market.

"It is unusual that a company producing directly to the international market and with many high-profile customers is involved in such gross violations of fundamental rights," said Finnwatch researcher Henri Purje.

Refresco’s clients include Lidl, Aldi, Carrefour, Dia, Morrison, Edeka, Rewe, Superunie, Ahold and Systeme Uni and well as Finland’s largest chains Kesko, SOK and Suomen Lahikauppa, Finnwatch said.

Its investigation of Natural Fruit found there were 200 undocumented migrants working in the factory, some of whom were 14 years old. The minimum working age in Thailand is 18.

-- The Nation 2013-01-22

[Thai at Heart]

These stories are starting to mount up.

Fisheries, the USA looking at the shrimp industry, and now this.

[Pimay1]

And the beat rolls on.

[Locationthailand]

Good thing they were not looking into China. But Thailand will continue to ignore rule of law as it is corruption based. And it still keeps the spin doctors telling the world it is fighting for democracy. Smoke and mirrors always.

[jaltsc]

"The minimum working age in Thailand is 18."

The minimum working age in Thailand is whatever the employer who pays the tea money to the government officials says it is.

[noitom]

It's just the tip of the iceberg in Thailand.

[beano2274]

It's just the tip of the iceberg in Thailand.

Thought Iceberg was a lettuce and not pineapple concentrate......

[Misterwhisper]

Just last week, Thailand's Foreign Ministry sheep-herded foreign diplomats and press members around to a couple of shrimp-processing facilities in Samut Songkhram province. There had been reports in the international media that these places allegedly used illegal and underaged labour, and the ministry was of course (once again) deeply concerned about Thailand's image abroad. That trip was announced well over a week ahead, and needless to say that we didn't find any illegal or underaged workers at those facilities during our visit. In fact, it seemed that the workers who had lined up as welcoming committees had been carefully chosen to look particularly old. One of the foreign diplomats told me off the record: "What else did you expect, that they openly parade before us their child workers?" I only could nod in agreement. Yet the Foreign Minister gleefully announced that the entire diplomatic delegation was very satisfied to see first-hand that the media allegations had been absolutely groundless. He also reiterated his government's commitment to stamp out child labour and human trafficking.

Just a few days later we were all delighted to learn, of course, that government officials allegedly are/were involved in "selling" rounded-up Rohingya refugees to human trafficking gangs. Even the army chief admitted that some high-ranking officers attached to the Isoc (Internal Security Operations Command) may be involved in the scheme.

And now we are privileged to hear from yet another foreign organisation about alleged labour abuses in Thailand's pineapple industry, an accusation that without doubt constitutes nothing else but a renewed, vile - naturally entirely groundless - attempt by foreigners to discredit Thailand in order to serve some ulterior, malevolent motives.

Can we expect a FM-organised trip to the Natural Fruit Company in Prachuabkhirikhan soon? Oh, and please inform the company in question at least one week in advance, will ya?

Edited January 22, 2013 by Misterwhisper

[Thai at Heart]

Just last week, Thailand's Foreign Ministry sheep-herded foreign diplomats and press members around to a couple of shrimp-processing facilities in Samut Songkhram province. There had been reports in the internaitonal media that these places allegedly used illegal and underaged labour, and the ministry was of course (once again) deeply concerned about Thailand's image abroad. That trip was announced well over a week ahead, and needless to say that we didn't find any illegal or underaged workers at those facilities durng our visit. In fact, it seemed that the workers who had lined up as welcoming committees had been carefully chosen to look particularly old. One of the foreign diplomats told me off the record: "What else did you expect, that they openly parade before us their child workers?" I only could nod in agreement. Yet the Foreign Minister gleefully announced that the entire diplomatic delegation was very satisfied to see first-hand that the media allegations had been absolutely groundless. He also reiterated his government's commitment to stamp out child labour and human trafficking.

Just a few days later we were all delighted to learn, of course, that government officials allegedly are/were involved in "selling" rounded-up Rohingya refugees to human trafficking gangs. Even the army chief even that some high-ranking officers attached to the Isoc (Internal Security Operations Command) may have been involved in the scheme.

And now we are privileged to hear from yet another foreign organisation about alleged labour abuses in Thailand's pineapple industry, an accusation that without doubt constitutes nothing else but yet another vile - entirely groundless - attempt by foreigners to discredit Thailand in order to serve some ulterior, malevolent motives.

Can we expect a FM-organised trip to the Natural Fruit Company in Prachuabkhirikhan soon? Oh, and please inform the company in question at least one week in advance, will ya?

The only way is for the foreign buyers to employ independent audit firms who carry out spot checks.

Thai companies all got iso coz they had to. Now they will have to get something else .

[rubl]

The Commerce Ministry must be getting very busy now. Only yesterday they vehemently denied a US accusation of children/foreign workforce in the fishing industry and now this. May I suggest a similar approach?

"After a meeting with Finnwatch representatives, Piramol Charoenpao, director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department, said Thailand needed to clear up this issue, as Finnwatch had based its stance on untrue information. The allegations had damaged the image of the fruitjuice industry, she said."

http://www.nationmul...r-30198348.html

Edited January 22, 2013 by rubl

[LarryBird]

If immigrants are coming to Thailand for a better life, who's to say their rights are being abused?

[FarangTalk]

"After a meeting with Finnwatch representatives, Piramol Charoenpao, director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department, said Thailand needed to clear up this issue, as Finnwatch had based its stance on untrue information. The allegations had damaged the image of the fruitjuice industry, she said."

http://www.nationmul...r-30198348.html

Finnwatch monitors Finnish companies in developing countries and economies in transition. We are interested in the consequences of Finnish companies’ operations on human and labour rights, the environment and developmental and social consequences in the South.

Contact us

Finnwatch ry

Pääskylänrinne 7 B 62

00550 Helsinki

Finland

tel. +358 (0)44 568 74 65

[email protected]

What we do

- Finnwatch carries out research and produces information summarized in articles and reports that are mainly spread through our website.

- In order to observe companies zealously, we use varied sources of information ranging from stakeholders to companies.

- We also give direct feed-back to companies involved.

- Research is carried out in collaboration with local and other NGOs and labour organisations in the target countries. Workers and other groups of people likely to be affected by the operations of the companies are easy to reach by means of contact networks readily available through the organisations involved in Finnwatch.

- We work in close collaboration with Swedwatch in Sweden, Norwatch in Norway and DanWatch in Denmark, since many companies are owned jointly by many Nordic countries.

- Finnwatch participates in a EU-funded project called makeITfair on consumer electronics.

Our objectives

Finnwatch’s objective is to bring about concrete improvements in developing countries and economies in transition when business activities are environmentally or socially unsatisfactory. It wants to increase awareness of these consequences in companies and encourage them to true responsible action. We promote cooperation of Finnish organisations in monitoring Finnish companies.

Our work is carried out with as much transparency as possible, with respect to all parties involved. Further, Finnwatch aims at promoting solutions to discovered problems. Companies must apply international commitments such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights, ILO core labour standards and Rio principles. Even the OECD Code of Conduct for multinational enterprises and UN Global Compact give direction to companies. Various operating principles written by companies themselves are becoming common, and even they shall not be forgotten.

http://www.finnwatch.org/keitae-olemme/2-uncategorised/43-finnwatch-in-english

[rubl]

If immigrants are coming to Thailand for a better life, who's to say their rights are being abused?

Somewhat besides the point of the topic, I think.

"Its investigation of Natural Fruit found there were 200 undocumented migrants working in the factory, some of whom were 14 years old. The minimum working age in Thailand is 18."

Whether those undocumented workers are Thai or migrants, some seem to have been too young to work legally! That's illegal, even according to the laws of this land. Employing 'undocumented migrants' is also illegal. So ask the government what they plan to do about this illegal situation.

[rubl]

"After a meeting with Finnwatch representatives, Piramol Charoenpao, director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department, said Thailand needed to clear up this issue, as Finnwatch had based its stance on untrue information. The allegations had damaged the image of the fruitjuice industry, she said."

http://www.nationmul...r-30198348.html

Finnwatch monitors Finnish companies in developing countries and economies in transition. We are interested in the consequences of Finnish companies’ operations on human and labour rights, the environment and developmental and social consequences in the South.

Contact us

Finnwatch ry

Pääskylänrinne 7 B 62

00550 Helsinki

Finland

tel. +358 (0)44 568 74 65

[email protected]

What we do

- Finnwatch carries out research and produces information summarized in articles and reports that are mainly spread through our website.

- In order to observe companies zealously, we use varied sources of information ranging from stakeholders to companies.

- We also give direct feed-back to companies involved.

- Research is carried out in collaboration with local and other NGOs and labour organisations in the target countries. Workers and other groups of people likely to be affected by the operations of the companies are easy to reach by means of contact networks readily available through the organisations involved in Finnwatch.

- We work in close collaboration with Swedwatch in Sweden, Norwatch in Norway and DanWatch in Denmark, since many companies are owned jointly by many Nordic countries.

- Finnwatch participates in a EU-funded project called makeITfair on consumer electronics.

Our objectives

Finnwatch’s objective is to bring about concrete improvements in developing countries and economies in transition when business activities are environmentally or socially unsatisfactory. It wants to increase awareness of these consequences in companies and encourage them to true responsible action. We promote cooperation of Finnish organisations in monitoring Finnish companies.

Our work is carried out with as much transparency as possible, with respect to all parties involved. Further, Finnwatch aims at promoting solutions to discovered problems. Companies must apply international commitments such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights, ILO core labour standards and Rio principles. Even the OECD Code of Conduct for multinational enterprises and UN Global Compact give direction to companies. Various operating principles written by companies themselves are becoming common, and even they shall not be forgotten.

http://www.finnwatch...atch-in-english

To be sure, my post was somewhat tongue-in-cheek and certainly not aimed against Finnwatch. It's that I regularly see statements from government officials who vehemently decry the ignorance of foreign governments, organisations and the like, who always seem to have the habit of using wrong, false, inaccurate, obsolete data, or simply don't understand Thainess.

Edited January 22, 2013 by rubl

[LarryBird]

Dude, if you think there are laws in Thailand, you dont understand Thainess either.

[rubl]

Dude, if you think there are laws in Thailand, you dont understand Thainess either.

Now let me explain this in simple words. Thailand has laws, lots of them. Thailand has regulations, lots of them. Thailand using laws as they see fit. The last may be seen as Thainess. IMHO of course

[hellodolly]

I have a real problem with considering under 18 to be a child abuse issue. For sure there is an age where children should not be working, Personally I see no problem with a 16 year old working. As for being unregistered being labor abuse I fail to see the connection. It could be they are receiving decent wages and a decent work condition, why would that be considered abuse. Granted abuse is there but from this report I fail to see any real work abuse.

What about the 15 year old working because his parents are disabled and unable to provide enough money for the vary basics of life. Thailand does not have a welfare system to provide for these people. In the past the family all chipped in each to there own ability. Perhaps a child of 15 could not attend school as there was not enough money for the basics, He could get a job and solve these problems or just do nothing and starve to death while people will stand around and say he is not being abused good enough. I for one say tthese people are abusing the child, For to them it is OK because he is just dying he is not working.

There is lots of work abuse going on but I feel that reports such as this one are useless. How many hours were they working were they being given breaks was there wages up to what they should be. Were they constantly verbally abused. Did they receive there wages in a timely fashion. The list goes on.

[bigbamboo]

Why do all these independent researchers keep turning up when the schoolkids are on factory field trips?

[laislica]

Great, who can I sue?

My fifteenth birthday was in January and I started as an indentured apprentice on the 15th April.

Where? In the UK.

When? OK, 55 years ago.

When we hit 13, we also had work like paper rounds, milk delivery etc.

It didn't seem to do us much harm. The minimum legal working age in the UK for part time work is still 13!

Some of us even attended evening school and got qualifications like ONC, HNC, City & Guilds and more.

We were brought up with the notion that "You have to be cruel to be kind".

This meant that were were disciplined, we had to learn some hard lessons like that there are barriers that we may not cross. That nothing comes too easy, you have to work for it. Parents actually said NO from time to time rather than handing over some computer type thing to amuse the child.

We did not take guns and murder students from other colleges etc.

[Buchholz]

Great, who can I sue?

My fifteenth birthday was in January and I started as an indentured apprentice on the 15th April.

Where? In the UK.

When? OK, 55 years ago.

When we hit 13, we also had work like paper rounds, milk delivery etc.

It didn't seem to do us much harm. The minimum legal working age in the UK for part time work is still 13!

A vastly different situation in Thailand as this previous thread documents...

It's a situation that most certainly persists... despite Surapong's guided tours.

SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand (Reuters) - It is 7.30 in the evening and an excited chatter fills the room as 11-year-old Nampeung and her friends get their work checked before clearing their desks and heading home.

But this is no scene from the end of a school day.

Nampeung is an ethnic Mon girl from military-ruled Myanmar who has been working in a seafood factory in central Thailand for nearly three years.

The desks are the metal tables where she spends six days a week shelling shrimps and her work is measured by the kilogram.

Followed by details of a different factory:

A police raid on a factory called Ranya Paew revealed conditions that were little short of medieval.

Around 800 men, women and children from deeply impoverished Myanmar -- or Burma, as it used to be known -- were imprisoned in a compound behind 15 foot walls topped with razor wire and patrolled by armed guards.

The rescued workers told human rights monitors they had to work 18 hours or more a day and were paid 400 baht a month, out of which they had to buy food -- mainly rancid pork -- from the factory's owner.

Child Laborers Toil In Thai Seafood Factories

[Pimay1]

Great, who can I sue?

My fifteenth birthday was in January and I started as an indentured apprentice on the 15th April.

Where? In the UK.

When? OK, 55 years ago.

When we hit 13, we also had work like paper rounds, milk delivery etc.

It didn't seem to do us much harm. The minimum legal working age in the UK for part time work is still 13!

A vastly different situation in Thailand as this previous thread documents...

It's a situation that most certainly persists... despite Surapong's guided tours.

SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand (Reuters) - It is 7.30 in the evening and an excited chatter fills the room as 11-year-old Nampeung and her friends get their work checked before clearing their desks and heading home.

But this is no scene from the end of a school day.

Nampeung is an ethnic Mon girl from military-ruled Myanmar who has been working in a seafood factory in central Thailand for nearly three years.

The desks are the metal tables where she spends six days a week shelling shrimps and her work is measured by the kilogram.

Followed by details of a different factory:

A police raid on a factory called Ranya Paew revealed conditions that were little short of medieval.

Around 800 men, women and children from deeply impoverished Myanmar -- or Burma, as it used to be known -- were imprisoned in a compound behind 15 foot walls topped with razor wire and patrolled by armed guards.

The rescued workers told human rights monitors they had to work 18 hours or more a day and were paid 400 baht a month, out of which they had to buy food -- mainly rancid pork -- from the factory's owner.

Child Laborers Toil In Thai Seafood Factories

http://www.thaivisa....food-factories/

Remind me again what yingluck said about people being treated humanely.

[LuckyLew]

Thailand ... give us your poor weak and meak and even give us your refugees ... we will then sell them for a nice tidy profit

[catmac]

Great, who can I sue?

My fifteenth birthday was in January and I started as an indentured apprentice on the 15th April.

Where? In the UK.

When? OK, 55 years ago.

When we hit 13, we also had work like paper rounds, milk delivery etc.

It didn't seem to do us much harm. The minimum legal working age in the UK for part time work is still 13!

A vastly different situation in Thailand as this previous thread documents...

It's a situation that most certainly persists... despite Surapong's guided tours.

SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand (Reuters) - It is 7.30 in the evening and an excited chatter fills the room as 11-year-old Nampeung and her friends get their work checked before clearing their desks and heading home.

But this is no scene from the end of a school day.

Nampeung is an ethnic Mon girl from military-ruled Myanmar who has been working in a seafood factory in central Thailand for nearly three years.

The desks are the metal tables where she spends six days a week shelling shrimps and her work is measured by the kilogram.

Followed by details of a different factory:

A police raid on a factory called Ranya Paew revealed conditions that were little short of medieval.

Around 800 men, women and children from deeply impoverished Myanmar -- or Burma, as it used to be known -- were imprisoned in a compound behind 15 foot walls topped with razor wire and patrolled by armed guards.

The rescued workers told human rights monitors they had to work 18 hours or more a day and were paid 400 baht a month, out of which they had to buy food -- mainly rancid pork -- from the factory's owner.

Child Laborers Toil In Thai Seafood Factories

http://www.thaivisa....food-factories/

Remind me again what yingluck said about people being treated humanely.

Sorry to burst your bubble Pimay1, but the horrors desribed above happened in 2007 during the reign of that military puppet Abhisit. Do try to check your facts beore you spew out your usual anti-Thaksin nonsense.

[Pimay1]

Great, who can I sue?

My fifteenth birthday was in January and I started as an indentured apprentice on the 15th April.

Where? In the UK.

When? OK, 55 years ago.

When we hit 13, we also had work like paper rounds, milk delivery etc.

It didn't seem to do us much harm. The minimum legal working age in the UK for part time work is still 13!

A vastly different situation in Thailand as this previous thread documents...

It's a situation that most certainly persists... despite Surapong's guided tours.

SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand (Reuters) - It is 7.30 in the evening and an excited chatter fills the room as 11-year-old Nampeung and her friends get their work checked before clearing their desks and heading home.

But this is no scene from the end of a school day.

Nampeung is an ethnic Mon girl from military-ruled Myanmar who has been working in a seafood factory in central Thailand for nearly three years.

The desks are the metal tables where she spends six days a week shelling shrimps and her work is measured by the kilogram.

Followed by details of a different factory:

A police raid on a factory called Ranya Paew revealed conditions that were little short of medieval.

Around 800 men, women and children from deeply impoverished Myanmar -- or Burma, as it used to be known -- were imprisoned in a compound behind 15 foot walls topped with razor wire and patrolled by armed guards.

The rescued workers told human rights monitors they had to work 18 hours or more a day and were paid 400 baht a month, out of which they had to buy food -- mainly rancid pork -- from the factory's owner.

Child Laborers Toil In Thai Seafood Factories

http://www.thaivisa....food-factories/

Remind me again what yingluck said about people being treated humanely.

Sorry to burst your bubble Pimay1, but the horrors desribed above happened in 2007 during the reign of that military puppet Abhisit. Do try to check your facts beore you spew out your usual anti-Thaksin nonsense.

And now there are none in Thailand right?

[Buchholz]

Sorry to burst your bubble Pimay1, but the horrors desribed above happened in 2007 during the reign of that military puppet Abhisit. Do try to check your facts beore you spew

Not that it really matters as the conditions have existed throughout numerous administrations, but speaking of fact checking and spewing...

Child laborers toil in Thai seafood factories

Reuters - 25 April 2007

Abhisit Vejjajiva

27th Prime Minister of Thailand

17 December 2008 – 5 August 2011

.

Edited January 22, 2013 by Buchholz

[chainarong]

This has been going on since Thailand. One way or another, it's good to see that outsiders are reporting and are not intimidated, to speakout about these abuses

[Pimay1]

Sorry to burst your bubble Pimay1, but the horrors desribed above happened in 2007 during the reign of that military puppet Abhisit. Do try to check your facts beore you spew

Not that it really matters as the conditions have existed throughout numerous administrations, but speaking of fact checking and spewing...

Child laborers toil in Thai seafood factories

Reuters - 25 April 2007

Abhisit Vejjajiva

27th Prime Minister of Thailand

17 December 2008 – 5 August 2011

.

Thanks Buchholz. Looks like catmac's bubble was burst. Edited January 22, 2013 by Pimay1

[hellodolly]

Great, who can I sue?

My fifteenth birthday was in January and I started as an indentured apprentice on the 15th April.

Where? In the UK.

When? OK, 55 years ago.

When we hit 13, we also had work like paper rounds, milk delivery etc.

It didn't seem to do us much harm. The minimum legal working age in the UK for part time work is still 13!

A vastly different situation in Thailand as this previous thread documents...

It's a situation that most certainly persists... despite Surapong's guided tours.

SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand (Reuters) - It is 7.30 in the evening and an excited chatter fills the room as 11-year-old Nampeung and her friends get their work checked before clearing their desks and heading home.

But this is no scene from the end of a school day.

Nampeung is an ethnic Mon girl from military-ruled Myanmar who has been working in a seafood factory in central Thailand for nearly three years.

The desks are the metal tables where she spends six days a week shelling shrimps and her work is measured by the kilogram.

Followed by details of a different factory:

A police raid on a factory called Ranya Paew revealed conditions that were little short of medieval.

Around 800 men, women and children from deeply impoverished Myanmar -- or Burma, as it used to be known -- were imprisoned in a compound behind 15 foot walls topped with razor wire and patrolled by armed guards.

The rescued workers told human rights monitors they had to work 18 hours or more a day and were paid 400 baht a month, out of which they had to buy food -- mainly rancid pork -- from the factory's owner.

Child Laborers Toil In Thai Seafood Factories

http://www.thaivisa....food-factories/

A man of your investagative skills can cheery pick articles like this. That does not mean that all of Thailand are in that situation.

See if you can find an article that tells us what would happen to a 11 year old girl in the same living conditions as her only no job.

There is plenty of work abuse issues in Thailand and cheery picking the bad ones and putting them forth as this is all Thailand is misleading as is this useless report. Or that other useless report where they could find no abuse after a preplaned and guideed tour of a fish factory.

[Buchholz]

There is plenty of work abuse issues in Thailand and cheery picking the bad ones and putting them forth as this is all Thailand is misleading

It was not the intent to show the shrimp industry article as "this is all Thailand."

However, agreeably, there are indeed plenty of work abuse issues in Thailand and undeniably employing underage workers is one of them whether it's the pineapple industry of the OP, the shrimp industry, the restaurant industry, the tourism industry, etc.

One doesn't have to look very deeply to find children laboring in Thailand.

Is it harmful?

Under the Western implementation, I don't think it is. Personally, I began working on a corn farm when I was 13 for below minimum wage (farm work is excluded from that law in the USA).

However, there were many differences that separate the Western implementation and the Thai (as well as a number of other countries in Asia that I've seen first hand).

A few examples of these differences are working hours, occupational safety guidelines, and longevity of the job (the farm work I did was only during summers off from school).

The article chosen is representative of the shrimp industry, which is probably one of the more reprehensible in its maltreatment of children workers.

I would never dare to compare my youthful employment, be it farm work at 13 or the newspaper boy route I had even younger, with what thousands of Asian children face with their jobs.

It's a night and day comparison.

One instilled a work ethic, maturity, and a sense of responsibility... the other is just abuse.

.

Edited January 22, 2013 by Buchholz

[Thai at Heart]

When i was in agricultural exports we had to prove there was no child labour in our supply chain.

We had smal hold farmers 25k families growing for us. We had the thorny issue of children helping their parents after school. We documented every family supplying us, recorded the names of the kids, and catalogued their school reports. Kids had to go to school, but were free to assist family.

It was a gargantuan amount of work, but this is the effort that a foreign MNC joint venture will go to, to satisfy international clients.

These companies can't even pay minimum Thai wages and are employing kids in their processing. The Thai owners know it, and the foreign buyers know it. Yuk, yuk.

I can imagine that vetting every shrimp farmer is hard work, but that is the cost of doing business.

buyers are also much to blame.

Is a few cents per kilo on a product worth squeezing if it means employing full time migrant child labour?