50% of fishing trawlers halt their operation due to expensive fuel prices

The fishery sector in Trang Province has indicated that over 50 percent of fishing trawlers in the province have ceased to operate because of the high fuel prices at the moment.

Mr.Suriya Withoonphan (สุริยะ วิฑูรพันธ์), a fishery personnel in Trang Province, said the current oil price hike has affected small and medium fishing trawlers. He said many of them could not afford to shoulder the burden of the soaring prices of gasoline.

Mr. Suriya said Trang has over 1,000 fishing trawlers, and the provincial fishery office has received an order from the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to help out the affected-fisherpersons. Thus, they can buy purple oil for two baht a litre, and this measure has been implemented since April 8th. 11 fishery gas stations have now joined this campaign.

Regarding the green oil project, Mr. Suriya said the project has been put into service since the middle of last year, but many fishing trawlers have to buy green oil at gas stations which are located 12 nautical miles away. The price of green oil is cheaper than the normal purple oil by six baht a litre. However, small fishing trawlers may have a problem of sailing quite a long distant to buy green oil.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 April 2006

50% of fishing trawlers halt their operation due to expensive fuel prices

The fishery sector in Trang Province has indicated that over 50 percent of fishing trawlers in the province have ceased to operate because of the high fuel prices at the moment.

Mr.Suriya Withoonphan (สุริยะ วิฑูรพันธ์), a fishery personnel in Trang Province, said the current oil price hike has affected small and medium fishing trawlers. He said many of them could not afford to shoulder the burden of the soaring prices of gasoline.

Mr. Suriya said Trang has over 1,000 fishing trawlers, and the provincial fishery office has received an order from the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to help out the affected-fisherpersons. Thus, they can buy purple oil for two baht a litre, and this measure has been implemented since April 8th. 11 fishery gas stations have now joined this campaign.

Regarding the green oil project, Mr. Suriya said the project has been put into service since the middle of last year, but many fishing trawlers have to buy green oil at gas stations which are located 12 nautical miles away. The price of green oil is cheaper than the normal purple oil by six baht a litre. However, small fishing trawlers may have a problem of sailing quite a long distant to buy green oil.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 April 2006

hmmmmm any excuse to put the price of seafood up!

Well, at least it will decrease their illegal fishing off Koh Phangan's reefs.

Since the price of diesel has gone up we haven't had any of the usually numerous fishing trawlers fishing less than 10m off our reef.

Good riddance, I say. They have completely destroyed the reef ecology on Koh Phangan and are, apparently, above the law as the marine police do nothing about it.

Green diesel effectively solves contraband oil problem

The Excise Department’s green diesel project for fishermen effectively helps solve contraband oil problem.

Poonsak Suwannarat (พูนศักดิ์ สุวรรณรัตน์), director of the Audit, Prevention and Suppression Bureau, said green diesel is now popular among fishermen because it is six baht per litre cheaper than pump price and the quality is good.

Mr. Poonsak said a slump in sales of contraband oil forced big oil smugglers to leave the market, adding there are now only a few small oil traffickers operating along the borders.

He said six oil distributors have 69 floating pumps altogether in the sea to sell green diesel to about 10,000 trawlers.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 September 2006

Green diesel effectively solves contraband oil problem

The Excise Department’s green diesel project for fishermen effectively helps solve contraband oil problem.

Poonsak Suwannarat (พูนศักดิ์ สุวรรณรัตน์), director of the Audit, Prevention and Suppression Bureau, said green diesel is now popular among fishermen because it is six baht per litre cheaper than pump price and the quality is good.

Mr. Poonsak said a slump in sales of contraband oil forced big oil smugglers to leave the market, adding there are now only a few small oil traffickers operating along the borders.

He said six oil distributors have 69 floating pumps altogether in the sea to sell green diesel to about 10,000 trawlers.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 September 2006

10 000 trawlers????????? it's a wonder there any fish left in the sea!

Jai Dee:

Mr. Poonsak said a slump in sales of contraband oil forced big oil smugglers to leave the market, adding there are now only a few small oil traffickers operating along the borders.

Meaning that fuel prices are more or less "equal" now with regard to neighboring countries, so that smuggling is not worth it anymore?

Cheers.