Spotlight on serious woes that plague Thai fishing sector

[webfact]

FISHERY
Spotlight on serious woes that plague fishing sector
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- CORRUPTION, high registration fees, exploitative Thai employers and a lack of government support are the key issues behind the violation of human rights and other industry-related problems, a seminar was told yesterday.

The speakers at a Chulalongkorn University seminar also offered solutions, such as: educating fishing trawler owners about human rights, more participation by government agencies and non-government groups, and effective law enforcement. These topics will be presented in a meeting next week with the National Council for Peace and Order.

Thai Tuna Industry Association chairman, Chanin Chalissarapong, said Thai authorities or international or independent bodies like the International Labour Organisation, should work to combat human trafficking while law enforcement must be more efficient and straightforward. He said a long-term solution to the problems would be a limit on the number of fishing trawlers.

Thai Overseas Fishers’ Association (TOFA) manager, Pornpoj Ngamwiriyatham, said abuse of migrant crew members could not be solved immediately because not all owners of fishing trawlers were TOFA members. He claimed that many documentary reports which convinced the US to downgrade Thailand were exaggerated or re-edited, using old information on abuses that had decreased, or did not exist.

The Labour Rights Promotion Network Foundation, through senior official Sompong Sakaew, condemned corrupt officials.

He said they took bribes from illegal migrant workers after arrests, a longstanding problem which could be solved by efficient and thorough registration of all workers.

High registration fees of around Bt15,000 should be cut to encourage the workers "to come into the system", while a central service should be set up to receive petitions from workers.

Sompong also warned the industry to be prepared for a lack of Myanmar workers in the near future. Many are expected to return to their home country after it opens up and needs a bigger workforce as its economy grows and reforms.

Prof Surichai Wungaeo, head of CU's Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, said bilateral or multilateral cooperation was needed to solve the regional problems of human trafficking and human rights' violations. He said the problems had intensified in Thailand because state agencies' main concerns focused on national security and overlooked financial and human security.

He said minor reform of human trafficking and rights' violation issues was now underway and would provide a good kick-start with the NCPO being involved.

This would be taken over later by civilian governments coming once the junta allows elections.

Ratchada Chaiyakupt, a researcher with CU's Asian Research Centre for Migration, which held the seminar, said immigration police and the Army should take a greater role in dealing with issues.

Thai employers should be educated more about regulations and the importance of observing international principles on human trafficking and rights' violations.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Spotlight-on-serious-woes-that-plague-fishing-sect-30237479.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-01

[noitom]

Thais should try some more fundamental issues.

1. The pervasive culture of superiority and pecking order in Thailand which relegates low socio economic laborers to worthless.

2. The pervasive culture of corruption in business, government, police, and military in Thailand which permits "looking the other way"

3. The lack of law and order and breaking laws with impunity for the privileged elite establishment characters and those in positions of influence.

So Thai 1, 2, 3 recommendations don't mean a thing without the fundamentals. As Duke Ellington said "it don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing." So it boils down to fundamentals to cure the Thai fishery industry. The world knows about these three things that are the benchmarks of Thailand's problems. Thais are the only ones who don't admit the truth. With their nonsensical three point programs and their steps ad measures they are trying to blow smoke at the world and the problem. We all know that. Thais are not serious about change until they start hauling off a bunch of Thai Mr. Bigs in the fishery trade and then enforce the three fundamentals above.

[Stradavarius37]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Thais should try some more fundamental issues.

1. The pervasive culture of superiority and pecking order in Thailand which relegates low socio economic laborers to worthless.

2. The pervasive culture of corruption in business, government, police, and military in Thailand which permits "looking the other way"

3. The lack of law and order and breaking laws with impunity for the privileged elite establishment characters and those in positions of influence.

So Thai 1, 2, 3 recommendations don't mean a thing without the fundamentals. As Duke Ellington said "it don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing." So it boils down to fundamentals to cure the Thai fishery industry. The world knows about these three things that are the benchmarks of Thailand's problems. Thais are the only ones who don't admit the truth. With their nonsensical three point programs and their steps ad measures they are trying to blow smoke at the world and the problem. We all know that. Thais are not serious about change until they start hauling off a bunch of Thai Mr. Bigs in the fishery trade and then enforce the three fundamentals above.

+1

[Bender]

gentleman i require your attention.

While i was reading this article i did notice this google ads. Its a petition against human trafficking in the fishery industry.

It will just take a couple of minute to fill it.

So today, you get the chance to do something.... SO DO IT!!

http://www.walkfree.org/thai-slavery/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=thai-slavery&gclid=CIrWjYnoor8CFW3MtAodnwkA4Q

Edited July 1, 2014 by Bender

[Chris Lawrence]

'The fish always goes bad at the head first' a quote by Sir Keith Campbell.

If the blind eye is turned from where does it start? I would guess the Judicial system. If they can't get this right, the cancer goes throughout society. The fishing industry is not right, but its the checks and balances that are the cause. If fair representation is never achieved, one needs to get this happening to make change.

Again, a bit more window dressing to say hey look at us we care? When your navy works out to take the boat people direct to the ship captians to cut out the middle man, indicates to me utter contempt?

There is plenty of smoke here? Something must be wrong?

[klauskunkel]

Thai employers should be educated more about regulations and the importance of observing international principles on human trafficking and rights' violations.

...because they don't know that slavery is wrong...

[Oziex1]

gentleman i require your attention.

While i was reading this article i did notice this google ads. Its a petition against human trafficking in the fishery industry.

It will just take a couple of minute to fill it.

So today, you get the chance to do something.... SO DO IT!!

http://www.walkfree.org/thai-slavery/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=thai-slavery&gclid=CIrWjYnoor8CFW3MtAodnwkA4Q

Done

[FangFerang]

gentleman i require your attention.

While i was reading this article i did notice this google ads. Its a petition against human trafficking in the fishery industry.

It will just take a couple of minute to fill it.

So today, you get the chance to do something.... SO DO IT!!

http://www.walkfree.org/thai-slavery/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=thai-slavery&gclid=CIrWjYnoor8CFW3MtAodnwkA

As an update, they are seeking over 115k electronic signatures and nearly are at the goal.

[FangFerang]

"He claimed that many documentary reports which convinced the US to downgrade Thailand were exaggerated or re-edited, using old information on abuses that had decreased, or did not exist."

Then he said "the problems had intensified in Thailand because state agencies' main concerns focused on national security and overlooked financial and human security."

Then he said "Thai employers should be educated more about regulations and the importance of observing international principles on human trafficking and rights' violations."

So...first he said there is no problem, then he said problems were worse, and then he said educating the violators to stop doing what they never did would solve the problem that never exited and had now intensified."

AMAZING Thailand

[ChrisY1]

Yes...the TOFA manager is talking garbled rubbish....if fishing fleets are not registered....given as reason that makes human rights difficult to manage....then don't allow them into port...make them join the association

[belg]

thais & their excuses for everything ...

no morals is what they have, for a supposedly buddist country that has long forgotten its principles

[Local Drunk]

I like fish! Please clean up the rivers and the Gulf while you're at it.

[kmj]

gentleman i require your attention.

While i was reading this article i did notice this google ads. Its a petition against human trafficking in the fishery industry.

It will just take a couple of minute to fill it.

So today, you get the chance to do something.... SO DO IT!!

http://www.walkfree.org/thai-slavery/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=thai-slavery&gclid=CIrWjYnoor8CFW3MtAodnwkA4Q

Done

[spidermike007]

Thais should try some more fundamental issues.

1. The pervasive culture of superiority and pecking order in Thailand which relegates low socio economic laborers to worthless.

2. The pervasive culture of corruption in business, government, police, and military in Thailand which permits "looking the other way"

3. The lack of law and order and breaking laws with impunity for the privileged elite establishment characters and those in positions of influence.

So Thai 1, 2, 3 recommendations don't mean a thing without the fundamentals. As Duke Ellington said "it don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing." So it boils down to fundamentals to cure the Thai fishery industry. The world knows about these three things that are the benchmarks of Thailand's problems. Thais are the only ones who don't admit the truth. With their nonsensical three point programs and their steps ad measures they are trying to blow smoke at the world and the problem. We all know that. Thais are not serious about change until they start hauling off a bunch of Thai Mr. Bigs in the fishery trade and then enforce the three fundamentals above.

Great post. Concise and full of things that must be addressed. It comes back to the ability to look within, and address real issues. In this case, the people within the industry, that have been devoting a lot of time to telling the world how wrong the US was in their assessment, may have to stop and say, "We are wrong, our problems are very substantial. We will begin to address them." We do have workers that are being treated like slaves. We have to treat them better. We have to start regarding them as human beings. How on earth can you improve something, or grow as a person, if you cannot admit your errors, your need for improvement, and the problems you must address? Introspect. Analyze. Be a man. Man up. Deal with it. Stop deflecting. Pussies do that. Not real men.

[Thai at Heart]

Thais should try some more fundamental issues.

1. The pervasive culture of superiority and pecking order in Thailand which relegates low socio economic laborers to worthless.

2. The pervasive culture of corruption in business, government, police, and military in Thailand which permits "looking the other way"

3. The lack of law and order and breaking laws with impunity for the privileged elite establishment characters and those in positions of influence.

So Thai 1, 2, 3 recommendations don't mean a thing without the fundamentals. As Duke Ellington said "it don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing." So it boils down to fundamentals to cure the Thai fishery industry. The world knows about these three things that are the benchmarks of Thailand's problems. Thais are the only ones who don't admit the truth. With their nonsensical three point programs and their steps ad measures they are trying to blow smoke at the world and the problem. We all know that. Thais are not serious about change until they start hauling off a bunch of Thai Mr. Bigs in the fishery trade and then enforce the three fundamentals above.

Great post. Concise and full of things that must be addressed. It comes back to the ability to look within, and address real issues. In this case, the people within the industry, that have been devoting a lot of time to telling the world how wrong the US was in their assessment, may have to stop and say, "We are wrong, our problems are very substantial. We will begin to address them." We do have workers that are being treated like slaves. We have to treat them better. We have to start regarding them as human beings. How on earth can you improve something, or grow as a person, if you cannot admit your errors, your need for improvement, and the problems you must address? Introspect. Analyze. Be a man. Man up. Deal with it. Stop deflecting. Pussies do that. Not real men.

Its about whether anyone gives a shit about the law. If you aren't fearful of the law, why would anyone bother to comply with any regulations.

No law, no standards, no society.

[spidermike007]

Thais should try some more fundamental issues.

1. The pervasive culture of superiority and pecking order in Thailand which relegates low socio economic laborers to worthless.

2. The pervasive culture of corruption in business, government, police, and military in Thailand which permits "looking the other way"

3. The lack of law and order and breaking laws with impunity for the privileged elite establishment characters and those in positions of influence.

So Thai 1, 2, 3 recommendations don't mean a thing without the fundamentals. As Duke Ellington said "it don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing." So it boils down to fundamentals to cure the Thai fishery industry. The world knows about these three things that are the benchmarks of Thailand's problems. Thais are the only ones who don't admit the truth. With their nonsensical three point programs and their steps ad measures they are trying to blow smoke at the world and the problem. We all know that. Thais are not serious about change until they start hauling off a bunch of Thai Mr. Bigs in the fishery trade and then enforce the three fundamentals above.

Great post. Concise and full of things that must be addressed. It comes back to the ability to look within, and address real issues. In this case, the people within the industry, that have been devoting a lot of time to telling the world how wrong the US was in their assessment, may have to stop and say, "We are wrong, our problems are very substantial. We will begin to address them." We do have workers that are being treated like slaves. We have to treat them better. We have to start regarding them as human beings. How on earth can you improve something, or grow as a person, if you cannot admit your errors, your need for improvement, and the problems you must address? Introspect. Analyze. Be a man. Man up. Deal with it. Stop deflecting. Pussies do that. Not real men.

Its about whether anyone gives a shit about the law. If you aren't fearful of the law, why would anyone bother to comply with any regulations.

No law, no standards, no society.

Very true. No regulatory authorities to speak of. No penalties for not complying. Or if a penalty is imposed, it is kind of a toy penalty, or a child penalty of 2,000 baht, or something out of a George Carlin skit. On some levels, it feels like Thailand has decades to go, to mature into a place that is taking itself seriously. Or at least a place the world is taking seriously. I guess things like this take time? Certainly the fight against corruption and hooliganism is a worthy fight. But, does this place have any fight within it? Where is the Anna Hazare, or Ralph Nader of Thailand going to come from? Will he be able to stay alive for long? Will the regulatory authorities, or the fabulously weak and compromised judiciary be able to do many thing effective? When will real reform happen?

Spidermike

Chaiyaphum, Thailand

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[noitom]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Thais should try some more fundamental issues.
1. The pervasive culture of superiority and pecking order in Thailand which relegates low socio economic laborers to worthless.
2. The pervasive culture of corruption in business, government, police, and military in Thailand which permits "looking the other way"
3. The lack of law and order and breaking laws with impunity for the privileged elite establishment characters and those in positions of influence.

So Thai 1, 2, 3 recommendations don't mean a thing without the fundamentals. As Duke Ellington said "it don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing." So it boils down to fundamentals to cure the Thai fishery industry. The world knows about these three things that are the benchmarks of Thailand's problems. Thais are the only ones who don't admit the truth. With their nonsensical three point programs and their steps ad measures they are trying to blow smoke at the world and the problem. We all know that. Thais are not serious about change until they start hauling off a bunch of Thai Mr. Bigs in the fishery trade and then enforce the three fundamentals above.

Great post. Concise and full of things that must be addressed. It comes back to the ability to look within, and address real issues. In this case, the people within the industry, that have been devoting a lot of time to telling the world how wrong the US was in their assessment, may have to stop and say, "We are wrong, our problems are very substantial. We will begin to address them." We do have workers that are being treated like slaves. We have to treat them better. We have to start regarding them as human beings. How on earth can you improve something, or grow as a person, if you cannot admit your errors, your need for improvement, and the problems you must address? Introspect. Analyze. Be a man. Man up. Deal with it. Stop deflecting. Pussies do that. Not real men.

Its about whether anyone gives a shit about the law. If you aren't fearful of the law, why would anyone bother to comply with any regulations.

No law, no standards, no society.

Very true. No regulatory authorities to speak of. No penalties for not complying. Or if a penalty is imposed, it is kind of a toy penalty, or a child penalty of 2,000 baht, or something out of a George Carlin skit. On some levels, it feels like Thailand has decades to go, to mature into a place that is taking itself seriously. Or at least a place the world is taking seriously. I guess things like this take time? Certainly the fight against corruption and hooliganism is a worthy fight. But, does this place have any fight within it? Where is the Anna Hazare, or Ralph Nader of Thailand going to come from? Will he be able to stay alive for long? Will the regulatory authorities, or the fabulously weak and compromised judiciary be able to do many thing effective? When will real reform happen?


Spidermike
Chaiyaphum, Thailand
Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"Toy penalty." - Excellent!

[spidermike007]

Thais should try some more fundamental issues.

1. The pervasive culture of superiority and pecking order in Thailand which relegates low socio economic laborers to worthless.

2. The pervasive culture of corruption in business, government, police, and military in Thailand which permits "looking the other way"

3. The lack of law and order and breaking laws with impunity for the privileged elite establishment characters and those in positions of influence.

So Thai 1, 2, 3 recommendations don't mean a thing without the fundamentals. As Duke Ellington said "it don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing." So it boils down to fundamentals to cure the Thai fishery industry. The world knows about these three things that are the benchmarks of Thailand's problems. Thais are the only ones who don't admit the truth. With their nonsensical three point programs and their steps ad measures they are trying to blow smoke at the world and the problem. We all know that. Thais are not serious about change until they start hauling off a bunch of Thai Mr. Bigs in the fishery trade and then enforce the three fundamentals above.

Great post. Concise and full of things that must be addressed. It comes back to the ability to look within, and address real issues. In this case, the people within the industry, that have been devoting a lot of time to telling the world how wrong the US was in their assessment, may have to stop and say, "We are wrong, our problems are very substantial. We will begin to address them." We do have workers that are being treated like slaves. We have to treat them better. We have to start regarding them as human beings. How on earth can you improve something, or grow as a person, if you cannot admit your errors, your need for improvement, and the problems you must address? Introspect. Analyze. Be a man. Man up. Deal with it. Stop deflecting. Pussies do that. Not real men.

Its about whether anyone gives a shit about the law. If you aren't fearful of the law, why would anyone bother to comply with any regulations.

No law, no standards, no society.

Very true. No regulatory authorities to speak of. No penalties for not complying. Or if a penalty is imposed, it is kind of a toy penalty, or a child penalty of 2,000 baht, or something out of a George Carlin skit. On some levels, it feels like Thailand has decades to go, to mature into a place that is taking itself seriously. Or at least a place the world is taking seriously. I guess things like this take time? Certainly the fight against corruption and hooliganism is a worthy fight. But, does this place have any fight within it? Where is the Anna Hazare, or Ralph Nader of Thailand going to come from? Will he be able to stay alive for long? Will the regulatory authorities, or the fabulously weak and compromised judiciary be able to do many thing effective? When will real reform happen?

Spidermike

Chaiyaphum, Thailand

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"Toy penalty." - Excellent!

The primary issue, is that there is little to zero interest in fighting corruption here. Nearly every level of government, and law enforcement has given up the fight, or not bothered waging a fight in the first place. When they do, they are thwarted at every level, by nearly every official or person involved. Though Thailand has made alot of noise about integrating itself into the world community, and especially ASEAN, to date they have defied many, many charters they have signed, especially the 6th charter, which I believe was signed back in 2009. I am told there are about 20 different international government bodies that are going to monitor Thailand's participation, and conduct once the upcoming ASEAN integration takes place in 2015. Many are skeptical, for good reason. Thailand has a very long history of making promises to the international community, and breaking them, when it comes to integration, easing of customs restriction, the import market, etc. To date, they have remained fabulously insular, and in some respects resemble China, when it comes to keeping their own markets closed to outside competition. The term protectionism comes to mind.

Getting back to the corruption issue, it is incredibly frustrating for many of us to see the level with which it affects this nation. But, so far, there is no Anna Hazare, or other such heroes who have stood up, risked life and limb, and been willing to carry the torch. I have seen no fight. No game. No resistance. No battle. No courage. No fortitude. No conviction. No arrests. Nobody jailed. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. So, you are seeking something that is simply not there. There may be some talk from time to time, from goombahs like Chalerm, but no action, ever! Does the "anti-corruption" agency ever fight corruption? No. What do they do? They focus on election fraud. So, you are simply engaging in an act that, if it produces anything, will end in deportation, denial of a visa, scorn, violence, or bodily harm to you or your family. But, rest assured, it will not result in anybody being disciplined, losing their job, fined, or jailed. At the lowest to the highest level of government here, there is zero interest in that. SImply too much money being made, and no interest in upsetting the apple cart.

So, in regard to this guy coming down on rogue police, it would be wonderful to see something like this starting to happen in this land of "no fight, no battle, no interest, let them do their thing". But, I remain skeptical until I see someone stand up and show some willingness to fight what would essentially be a war against entrenched interests.

Spidermike

Chaiyaphum, Thailand

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[iphad]

"He claimed that many documentary reports which convinced the US to downgrade Thailand were exaggerated or re-edited, using old information on abuses that had decreased, or did not exist."

Then he said "the problems had intensified in Thailand because state agencies' main concerns focused on national security and overlooked financial and human security."

Then he said "Thai employers should be educated more about regulations and the importance of observing international principles on human trafficking and rights' violations."

So...first he said there is no problem, then he said problems were worse, and then he said educating the violators to stop doing what they never did would solve the problem that never exited and had now intensified."

AMAZING Thailand

it was a seminar & different people were speaking...it wasn't just the same "He"

maybe different people in the same room representing different interests will have different opinions how to solve the problem.

but it is Amazing how you didn't notice that.

[Roadman]

More of the woes. A video is on stuff.co.nz right now as a clip of a longer video posted on YouTube today. Cannot find as to wether youtube has taken it down or I am not finding. Basically it shows three fisherman on an upturned boat being shot supposedly by the crew of a tuna boat. The connection. A Burmese journalist has identified the language of the shooters on the tuna boat as being Burmese and Thai.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Roadman