Prayut gives a stern warning to rich fishing operators

[steveyinasia]

Didn't he recent chastise a local reporter for exposing this story, now that an international news agency has printed their own story, he decides to get tough? Pull your head out of the sand General, people are no exposing these stories to hurt Thailand, they want to make it better by correcting these actions.

[Srikcir]

"He blamed deteriorating human trafficking, particularly on the fishing industry, on inactions or ignorances by the previous government before his May 22 military coup."

Shouldn't that be previous governments?

That would include ALL the previous governments back to 1933 when Thailand became a constitutional monarchy. And where was the military in all this time? When it was not overthrowing the governments repeatedly, it operated as PART OF THE GOVERNMENT. If he blames the Yingluck admininstration for "deteriorating human trafficking, he must also point to the military failure to SECURE THAILAND'S SOVEREIGNTY both at sea and on land.

And the military has been targeted as possible offender. One (yes only one) naval officer has been arrested by the Junta in connection with human trafficking. As alleged by Reuters, the Thai navy was implicated in 2013 in human trafficking to which it responded, not with flushing out that corruption, but filing defamation lawsuits against Reuter reporters. To date those lawsuits are still active.

[tonbridgebrit]

Right, we really do need to see a cleaning up of the fishing industry.

First of all, the Thais who employ foreign un-registered workers must be punished, and punished in full. Yes, prison terms and large fines must be dished out. Also, there should be a gradual removal of all foreign workers (including the registered ones) in the fishing industry. Basically, all foreign workers in the fishing industry are under-cutting the wages of the Thai workers.
Once all the foreigners have gone, and the Thai operators will have to go bankrupt or employ Thais, well, yes, that's when the industry is clean and no longer expoliting un-fortunate people. How much pay does your average Thai person want to be on a boat, catching fish all day long ? Pay up, or shut up and go into bankruptcy should be the message.

Thailand must also stop it's own fishing ships going into other peoples' waters, and stop foreign boats entering Thai waters.

And also, once Thailand has cleaned up it's own fisghing industry, it can then tell Europe and America to block fish from other Asian countries entering into America and Europe. This is because other Asian countries are simply not going to clean up their fishing industries. Hey, Thailand might end up being the only or near-only exporter of seafood in South-East Asia.

And if America and Europe refuse to put up restrictions on other countries' fish after Thailand has cleaned itself up, well, Thailand can then bring in registered foreign workers who can be paid less than the Thais.

[deckape]

Last night, Gen Prayut said it was time now for his government to get tough with the problem

Basically admitting that up until now they have done f---all.

[deckape]

To quote Sir Paul McCartney

"this guy is the jerk of jerks"

[Shiver]

Fishing on Thai soil? Maybe repurpose the education initiative and give one bicycle per fish so that they can travel on the soil.

[englishoak]

the EU really need to just slap on a ban all Thai seafood products AND a massive fine for breaching international standards starting ASAP, its the only way to ensure cooperation by Thailand

[Thai at Heart]

If he gets this right, it will be a big gold star for him in my mind. Finally something good and concrete

[ourmanflint]

Rot! Rot! This fellow is abusing his position rather?? All That power must have gone to his head.

[berybert]

He needs to work out who he needs to impress. These scumbags are the same elite he wants to control the country.

[maidee]

he does not care for the human trafficking or slave labour, only about the $$$$ from exports

[Commander Tamson]

If he gets this right, it will be a big gold star for him in my mind. Finally something good and concrete

My God man - have you read this story properly, and the full background to it? He has done nothing so far except to try and cover it up - initially he threatened to execute the journalist who blew the whistle and now all he is doing is trying to cover up his own blunders and inactions.

As someone else said - the real worry now is the possibility of dead fisherman being washed up on the beaches of SE Asia