Thailand Makes Progress on Illegal Fishing

[Jacob Maslow]

Thailand has made great progress on illegal fishing, said Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula on Wednesday. Just last month, the European Union gave Thailand six months to clean up its fishing industry and issued it a yellow card. If the country does not meet the EU’s standards by October, it could face an embargo on fish exports.

At present, Thailand is the third-largest seafood exporter. Annual exports to the EU have an estimated value of 575-730 million euros, or 21.8-27.2 billion baht.

Mr. Pridiyathorn says the weaknesses found by the EU in the fishing industry have been resolved. This includes the registration of fishing vessels that were previously undocumented. Traceability and vessel-monitoring systems have also been implemented. These systems will decipher where the fish were caught, what species the fish are and what the vessel names are.

Many of the boats in the Thai fishing industry are unregistered and operating outside of the government’s control. Thousands of migrant workers are also employed in this industry from nearby countries, including Myanmar and Cambodia.

The EU’s decision to give Thailand the yellow card had nothing to do with illegal migrant labor, according to an EU source. The move had everything to do with the country having illegal fishing vessels and practices.

Mr. Pridiyathorn admits that the country had a hard time checking its historical fishing data. Not only do Thailand records have to be checked, but records from nearby countries as well.

The EU will visit Thailand next week to talk about the country’s progress on illegal fishing and its action plans to resolve the problem.

-- 2015-05-07

[NongKhaiKid]

Of course Thailand is making ' great ' progress and it must be true as it's the Thai govt that's saying it.

Let's wait to see if the EU says anything about this now and crucially as the ban deadline approaches.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

So, it's against ThaiVisa policy to quote, post, or link to Bangkok Post articles.

But it's OK to have someone working for ThaiVisa rewrite a Reuters article such as this one on the EU fishing issue that was posted on the BKK Post website Weds. afternoon and have it posted here under a ThaiVisa.com byline with almost literally the same exact sentences (minus the quotes)???

And do the same thing every day with other articles appearing in the BKK Post as well?

[chooka]

Self appraisal always works.

[ExPratt]

From the other fishing thread today http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/823202-thai-fishery-exports-eus-motive-behind-yellow-card-queried/#entry9379466

Niphon added that six months is simply too short a time.

The Songkhla Fishery Association president, who is also a former MP of the Democrat Party, said he had no confidence that Thailand would be able to meet the deadline for adjustment and improvement, despite the fact that the Kingdom had been trying to deal with the issues for years now.

[whatawonderfulday]

The General has insisted that all illegal fishing operations must immediately stop. Any fishing owners found fishing by the Thai military using illegal crew/slaves will in future be thrown overboard along with the illegals. How is that for fairness ?

[Plutojames88]

The vessels operate illegally.

That means the catch is unlawful and EU can't accept the countries products.

Violations include vessels not in survey on the high seas ....illegal crews , often unpaid ( ethics) the catch taken in places that does not permit it, ( other countries waters) the list goes on.

Now dead bodies are turning up in jungles where crews are being put down won't help one bit.

It's certain the tier by US will remain next month .

Then in October the Thais again fail.

The simple repeating of messages untruthful wont make them true.

These messages are aimed at domestic consumption ....

The Nation and Bangkok post will repeat it.

The TV stations not shut down will repeat it.

From here on in sourcing information on Thailand accurately will be best left to representations from the people and organisations concerned.

And the blind Freddie's wheeling political faithfulness reciting the military lines here are fading in time .

There will always be the ones who aren't alcoholic , troubled , social mis fits and have a reasonable IQ and accept the translations of essentially Thai newspapers , and stop debating the facts as to translation.

Next as it worsens silence from the gullible but wise enough to see eventually.

Then the fools who claim to know what he really meant or was referring to who will wait to deaths start happening in the name of peace and order.

Really the ones who see things for as it is here eventually need to also consider their futures there.

Many with families should consider trying to relocate to adjoining countries.

Thailand is by every indication a big worry.

There is time but not much.

Edited May 7, 2015 by Plutojames88

[soalbundy]

What do they mean,'' making progress on illegal fishing '' are they getting better at it ???

[Nick167]

THis is really a good one. They thing everyone is so so stupid like them!

[ExPratt]

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

What do they mean,'' making progress on illegal fishing '' are they getting better at it ???

Correct TAT announced that 20% more fish were caught illegally this month leading to a surge in Seafood Tourists of 80% worth 98. Billion Baht

[LuckyLew]

Yup it is fixed because we said it is fixed, wink wink nudge nudge

[rkidlad]

So, it's against ThaiVisa policy to quote, post, or link to Bangkok Post articles.

But it's OK to have someone working for ThaiVisa rewrite a Reuters article such as this one on the EU fishing issue that was posted on the BKK Post website Weds. afternoon and have it posted here under a ThaiVisa.com byline with almost literally the same exact sentences (minus the quotes)???

And do the same thing every day with other articles appearing in the BKK Post as well?

Thaivisa: a website to read old, recycled news and see lots of adverts - brought to you by fusty old men.

I just like reading the comments. Some great and some awful. But that's true of every forum.

As for making progress in relation to the EU, Thailand doesn't decide that. The EU does.

[Srikcir]

Right before the EU's visit to Thailand next week to talk about the country’s progress on illegal fishing and its action plans to resolve the problem, Songkhla Fishery Association president Praporn Ekuru said the issuing of a yellow card from the EU could have been driven by the European Union's economic protectionism or its desire to see the military regime of General Prayut Chan-o-cha return the country to democracy.

If Prapron isn't taking the EU seriously, Pridiyathorn has a lost cause in convincing the EU that Thailand will comply with all the EU regulations and standards.The EU can simply wait for the deadline, then see what the Junta has accomplished.

[Baerboxer]

Of course Thailand is making ' great ' progress and it must be true as it's the Thai govt that's saying it.

Let's wait to see if the EU says anything about this now and crucially as the ban deadline approaches.

Let's wait and see if the EU does anything about all the other products that they import that are sourced from Asia where companies use cheap labor, bonded labor, underage workers in primitive conditions with little if any rights.

No doubt the Thai Fishing Industry has literally got away with murder over many years - abusing humans and the environment for the profit of a few rich fat cats.

But so are many other industries, Why the sudden move on Thai fishing?

[Plutojames88]

But so are many other industries, Why the sudden move on Thai fishing?

That's nothing ....this decision was taken a while back.

Once this guy decided to give the world the big Aprils fool gift of declaring himself Absolute Ruler and wrote that fascist Charter that excludes democracy as we know it.....

The call went out.

His ability to fabricate events domestically , bombard the people of Thailand with so many promises and nationalist announcements that they missed the slight of hand and their democracy being taken .

Sanctions were needed.

Not unjustly either.

Before Thailand was given special treatment , the cosy Land of Smiles the world went to unwind.

Now it's dramatically shifted .

In part because the elites in Bangkok supported this.

But this coup and power grab is different.

It ain't going away.

And it comes from on high that the elites want that.

The obvious confrontation ahead will be with outside forces.

This is just the beginning.

No back downs

No international acceptance

It can only end in confrontation , and serious down hill run for Thailand in the interim.

Depending on how this guy reacts ( I wasn't going to stay to find out) Thailand might become a very dangerous place .

Certainly more desperate as people will struggle .

Xenophobic as he will blame westerners for their plight.

Expect the odd western corpse to turn up.

Beatings

Mysterious deaths .

Arrests and charges with guys saying that isn't my drugs .

It's going to get messy.

One doesn't need a crystal ball to see this guy will get furious at us once sanctions hit.

Watch out for raids and taxes and seizing of assets and jumpers ( suicides out of condo buildings ) open slather rip off scams ....and in general a nasty reaction .

Just add simmering Red shirt anger , and the potential there and the next year or more is going to be a rocky ride ....and it's very sad to see the ride has commenced ...and the guy running it looks deranged.

Edited May 7, 2015 by Plutojames88

[dageurreotype]

The General has insisted that all illegal fishing operations must immediately stop. Any fishing owners found fishing by the Thai military using illegal crew/slaves will in future be thrown overboard along with the illegals. How is that for fairness ?

By next Saturday, if I read another website a-right ..

[dageurreotype]

Of course Thailand is making ' great ' progress and it must be true as it's the Thai govt that's saying it.

Let's wait to see if the EU says anything about this now and crucially as the ban deadline approaches.

Let's wait and see if the EU does anything about all the other products that they import that are sourced from Asia where companies use cheap labor, bonded labor, underage workers in primitive conditions with little if any rights.

No doubt the Thai Fishing Industry has literally got away with murder over many years - abusing humans and the environment for the profit of a few rich fat cats.

But so are many other industries, Why the sudden move on Thai fishing?

Just a guess but, because it's off shore and much easier to hide?

[mango66]

the headline:

Thailand makes progress on illegal fishing !!!

says all;

They cant stop it, but they make progress on illegal fishing,

with illegal gear and nets, illegal trawlers, illigal places, illegal workers,

But the catch they sell is suddenly legal !!

This is Thailand today !!

[quandow]

"Mr. Pridiyathorn says the weaknesses found by the EU in the fishing industry have been resolved."

You said it so it MUST be true.

[catweazle]

Thailand Makes Progress on Illegal Fishing... progress, meaning higher bribes or what?