EDITORIAL
End the trafficking and work abuses, or we will pay for it
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- 'Slave labour' in the fishing industry could spur US trade sanctions

Thailand's fishing industry has come under an unwanted spotlight over the past few weeks with two damning back-to-back reports about the use of forced labour from Myanmar and neighbouring countries.

The reports talked about the dire consequences should the government continue with business as usual and not do enough to clamp down on these illegal practices that effectively bloodies these export items.

"Was the fish you had for dinner caught by slaves?" asked the headline from The Christian Science Monitor, citing a report from the UK-based Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) that documented widespread use of forced or captive labour in Thailand's multi-million-dollar fishing industry.

The United States is being pressed hard to do something about these abuses; in fact, it has been for years. For one thing, America is the number one buyer of Thai fish products. The 2011 figure showed Thai fishery exports to the US valued at $1.8 billion. The total industry is worth about $7.3 billion (Bt227 billion).

Another reason why the US is hard pressed to do something about this is that EJF is calling on Washington to downgrade Thailand in its annual US State Department's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, which employs a three-tiered scale to classify all countries - in a bid to eliminate slavery around the world.

Given the two countries' close ties, lowering Thailand's status could be a difficult thing to do.

This is not to say that Thailand is unaware of these questionable and illegal practices at sea. The Thai government has consistently avoided inquiries into allegations of how Myanmar workers were beaten regularly, sold like slaves to other ships and even killed to avoid paying them salaries or intimidate crewmembers.

Perhaps the government doesn't want people to look into allegations that Thai authorities are in cahoots with industry bosses.

About a month after the EJF's "Sold to the Sea: Human Trafficking in Thailand's Fishing Industry" report was launched, the US State Department released its annual TIP report. It was another damning criticism that could translate into sanctions if the government doesn't do something about trafficking abuses promptly.

For years, the US has urged Thailand to take action. Thai law enforcers have vowed to act, but essentially just paid lip service and turned a blind eye to what the US report called "pervasive trafficking-related corruption".

For the past four years, the US State Department's Trafficking in Persons report has given Thailand its second-worst ranking. Bangkok narrowly dodged the worst rank (Tier 3) because Secretary of State John Kerry stepped in and pardoned the country, after a plea for leniency from the Thai foreign minister. But we have now reached the limit on the number of waivers possible. That means Thailand has one more year to prove it will convict human traffickers and rogue employers, who have operated with virtual impunity for years. We have to do something about an awful situation.

Getting the lowest rank would mean the US would have to comply by its own law that calls for targeted sanctions by cutting "non-humanitarian, non-trade-related foreign assistance". This year's State Department report, released last week, labelled Thailand as a dismal failure.

Government leaders and fishing industry chiefs need to realise that they have moral obligations to all people - consumers, domestic and foreign, as well as our neighbours, when many abused workers come from. We need to go beyond the legal and diplomatic requirements and take this matter very seriously. The Thai fishing industry and other sectors using migrant labour have acquired a dreadful reputation for gross abuse of foreign workers. If the government fails to act this year, unfettered access to the world's biggest market will be in grave danger.

-- The Nation 2013-06-30

Some very old chickens are coming home to roost with this government along with some chickens of their own creation

Some very old chickens are coming home to roost with this government along with some chickens of their own creation

Give it a while, it will eventually be the farangs fault.

Get real, it is not only restricted to the fishing industry. Slave-holder mentality is found everywhere in Thailand.

Amazing how the issue is about the loss of trade with the US and not the actual abuse - damning in itself.

Just take away the income from the fishing industry and they will find another income, maybe PIRACY. Thefuture might be bright and we have another area of piracy and sea lanes patrol on our hands. Thank you USA, you are so smart.

Some very old chickens are coming home to roost with this government along with some chickens of their own creation

Give it a while, it will eventually be the farangs fault.

The Dems will be in the frame first!!

most thai people will be more angry that the US dares to point a finger, than the slaveery on other people

what to expect from people with no education (or the little where they are tought to ) believe they are better than anyone else

Just take away the income from the fishing industry and they will find another income, maybe PIRACY. Thefuture might be bright and we have another area of piracy and sea lanes patrol on our hands. Thank you USA, you are so smart.

So you are saying the slavery in the fishing industry is OK?

Thailand is a beautiful country and has a myriad of pleasures to explore as well as a historic culture. It has been a wonderful place to live but is becoming rapidly disgusting. The whole attitude of the government is one of mindless selfishness and deceit of its people. The richest people are the ones engaged in the most disgraceful practices and damage the society the most.

It is time for international intervention to expose Thailand and speak the truth. It needs a massive kick up its rear to wake people up to what is going on and start to open their eyes as to how thy are being sold out by their own kind who rush to hide behind the racist excuses for their own immorality. Thailand needs to be exposed for its own good.

<snip>

Unfortunately, any sanctions against Thailand will be met with the usual - "This creates a bad image for Thailand" - with threats of law suits against the U.S., and anyone else of also imposes sanctions, as the "image of Thailand" is much more important that the root cause of the problem. And, someone will probably throw out the "Farang don't understand Thainess" comment as well.

Just take away the income from the fishing industry and they will find another income, maybe PIRACY. Thefuture might be bright and we have another area of piracy and sea lanes patrol on our hands. Thank you USA, you are so smart.

Not to worry Greenpeace tells us that we are going to run out of fish any way unless we figure out a legal or illegal way to get them from under the oil rigs.

Of course they will come out with a report on how the oil rigs are ruining the fish stock.

"Government leaders and fishing industry chiefs need to realise that they have moral obligations to all people - consumers, domestic and foreign, as well as our neighbours, when many abused workers come from" Wishful thinking. The level of moral development here is level 1 (see Kohlberg). Typical for 3 year old: avoid punishment. Nothing to do with right and wrong. So hit where it hurts, in the pocketbook. Speak in a language they can understand: money.

Just take away the income from the fishing industry and they will find another income, maybe PIRACY. Thefuture might be bright and we have another area of piracy and sea lanes patrol on our hands. Thank you USA, you are so smart.

i dont understand this post,enlighten me please,,thank you in advance,,,,,,

Thailand is a beautiful country and has a myriad of pleasures to explore as well as a historic culture. It has been a wonderful place to live but is becoming rapidly disgusting. The whole attitude of the government is one of mindless selfishness and deceit of its people. The richest people are the ones engaged in the most disgraceful practices and damage the society the most.

It is time for international intervention to expose Thailand and speak the truth. It needs a massive kick up its rear to wake people up to what is going on and start to open their eyes as to how thy are being sold out by their own kind who rush to hide behind the racist excuses for their own immorality. Thailand needs to be exposed for its own good.

<snip>

Good post....very true.

I've been here for 12 years and have seen a marked change in Government attitude over the time....the greed and dishonesty here is certainly turning my thoughts....but I still love the country, many of the people and the lifestyle I live....

Its virtual slavery for the ordinary worker here,6 day weeks,

6 days holiday a year,try that in the West.

regards Worgeordie

Just take away the income from the fishing industry and they will find another income, maybe PIRACY. Thefuture might be bright and we have another area of piracy and sea lanes patrol on our hands. Thank you USA, you are so smart.

You forget the Loyal, Honest and Professional Royal Thai Navy will deal with the pirates. oops, I forgot, they are busy running their own slave trading ring.

Just take away the income from the fishing industry and they will find another income, maybe PIRACY. Thefuture might be bright and we have another area of piracy and sea lanes patrol on our hands. Thank you USA, you are so smart.

So we should just stand idly by and do nothing? Your post reads like you have the IQ of an Amoeba on Crack. Seriously? what planet are you on?

The Thai government has consistently avoided inquiries into allegations of how Myanmar workers were beaten regularly, sold like slaves to other ships and even killed to avoid paying them salaries or intimidate crewmembers.

Is the above true? My son is planning to work in a ship but not fishing ships or vessels. The one that

transports people.

Get Leonardo DiCaprio to write PM Y a letter.

It seems that, its the best way to get this governments attention

Amazing how the issue is about the loss of trade with the US and not the actual abuse - damning in itself.

Because abuse isn't a moral problem here. Money #1, remember?