Thai fishery industry optimistic of US trafficking report upgrade

[webfact]

Fishery industry optimistic of US trafficking report upgrade
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- GIVEN THAILAND'S serious efforts to tackle the problem of human trafficking during the past year, there are high hopes that the United States will upgrade the Kingdom from the bottom-of-the-pile tier-three ranking in its upcoming "Trafficking in Persons" (TIP) report this month.

Poj Aramwatananont, chairman of the Thai Fishery Producers Coalition, which represents eight fishery associations, said the government and private enterprises had made strenuous efforts over the past year to tackle the problems of forced and child labour.

"With concrete and tangible measures for combating problems related to illegal employment, in particular forced and foreign labour, we [businesses] expect that the US will fairly consider upgrading Thailand's status during the upcoming revision," he said. He said the government had made strong efforts to solve labour problems during the first year of its administration.

It has concrete and tangible plans to solve many issues related to illegal employment and the enhancement of human-rights protection, and the country now has a national committee and a one-stop service to solve labour problems as the government sees the issue as a national-agenda item, he explained.

Moreover, Thai private enterprises in the fishery industry have cooperated with government agencies and other countries to try to solve the problems from upstream to downstream, said the coalition chief.

Thailand was downgraded to the lowest status in the TIP report last year, with the new report expected to be released by the end of this month.

Since March, the government has submitted a report to update Washington on its efforts to tackle the problem during the period from April 2014 to March 31.

In the document submitted to Washington, the US will see many updated actions and Thailand's progress in solving labour issues, Poj said, stressing that it was not only the government that had introduced many measures and activities, as private enterprises had been cooperating in much of this work, as well.

He added that private enterprises had also separately provided information to their trading partners, in a bid to assure traders and consumers on safety issues and the high intention of Thai firms in regard to human rights, and on other issues of concern such as the environment and sustainability.

Foreign buyers and importers have expressed satisfaction with Thai fishery businesses after regularly sending teams to inspect factories and fishery farms in Thailand on a random basis, he said.

Anurat Khokasai, chief marketing officer and chief operations officer of Prantalay - a major producer and exporter of seafood - said American and European buyers had regularly made "surprise checks" at Thai factories, not informing the firms in advance and sending a third party to inspect their seafood plants from upstream to downstream.

"If any illegal or unfair treatment on labour or other issues had been found, those foreign buyers would have stopped purchasing goods from Thailand some time ago. But as of now, they have high confidence about Thai fishery firms and continue to order from Thailand," he said.

Prantalay's plants are inspected four or five times a year, he added.

Representing a company involved in the fishery industry, Anurat said he could say that most Thai firms involved in exporting, and medium-sized and large enterprises in particular, had not been involved with human trafficking. Most foreign labourers have been registered legally to work in the country, and are treated fairly by Thai companies, he added.

"At Prantalay, we treat both local and foreign labourers to the same standard. Foreign workers, who mostly are from Myanmar, are paid the same minimum wage as Thai workers, and [their treatment] is based on good practice," said Anurat.

The company also employs a Myanmar public relations officer and provides a signboard or makes announcements in the Myanmar language at its plants to communicate with workers originating from that country. The company also provides medical care to foreign workers, he stressed.

Joint commitment

Meanwhile, members of the eight fishery associations under the Thai Fishery Producers Coalition made a joint commitment for two years from April 2014 to completely eliminate child and forced labour from their upstream supply chains to downstream manufacturers.

All coalition members have vowed to rid their facilities and pre-production process of any child and forced labour since late last year.

They have also drawn up a plan to provide better facilities for workers, such as accommodation, and continue to get rid of child and forced labour in their supply chains.

Any member that fails to fulfil the commitment would see membership terminated, which means it would be unable to export its products.

Moreover, the Agriculture Ministry also recently announced that the government would enact a specific law binding on every enterprise involved in the fishery industry to follow high-standard employment regulations to ensure fair labour treatment in the sector.

All those involved - fishermen, ports, cooling factories, processing plants and shippers - would have to comply with the law.

In parallel, Thai enterprises in the fishery industry have proceeded with an ethical standard expected of responsible business operators by fully abiding with all present and future labour laws, treating all workers fairly and without discrimination in terms of sex, race or nationality, and providing a safe working environment and adequate support facilities.

Members of the coalition have also denounced abusive and/or exploitative use of workers.

Thai enterprises have also continued to eliminate child labour and the trafficking of alien workers, with fishery-related operators having joined with the Fisheries Department to raise the standard of pre-processing plants handling marine products.

To raise the bar on labour protection, private enterprises have also collaborated with the International Labour Organisation, the Fisheries Department and the Labour Protection and Welfare Department to map plant locations, record each manufacturer's profile and conduct a baseline survey of members' facilities and those of their pre-processors.

The coalition has also worked with the Myanmar and Cambodian governments to maintain the living conditions of their nationals working in Thailand.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Fishery-industry-optimistic-of-US-trafficking-repo-30262299.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-15

[ChrisY1]

There's so much more to do yet....IMO, Thailand will not be able to maintain the current momentum of investigations......which is vital for success.

[Miami Bob]

As if the United States federal government is in a moral position to be judging other countries illegal activities.

[abitmiffed]

There's so much more to do yet....IMO, Thailand will not be able to maintain the current momentum of investigations......which is vital for success.

Damn right.

If the US gives Thailand a higher grading then its back to business next month.

Don't do it US.

This and many other Asian countries have to learn that this is NOT accepted no more and must stop.

We can slag off Thailand as much as we want but there are way more people involved.

Must keep up the pressure.

[klauskunkel]

With concrete and tangible measures

It has concrete and tangible plans

I'm glad that the measures and plans are made of concrete and one can touch them...

Edited June 15, 2015 by klauskunkel

[quandow]

What was that saying about wishing in one hand and shitting in the other?

[Anthony5]

So for the last 3 of the 52 weeks in a year the government has given some impression that they are doing something, and they believe the US will consider that as a solved case?

Thailand is lucky that a further downgrade isn't possible.

[alfalfa19]

If the upgrade happens, it will be back to business as usual very quickly. For anything to happen, the pressure must be unrelenting and long term.

[Srikcir]

The Junta's first arrest of a naval officer was in January 2015 in connection with human trafficking. His identity remains hidden.

In May 2015 General Prayut declared no army personnel has been involved with human trafficking.

Last month the Junta arrested an army major general as a ringleader in human trafficking but without a ring.

To date no convictions of either military or civilian people for human trafficking.

As they used to say in America - Where's the beef?

[kerrysum]

As if the United States federal government is in a moral position to be judging other countries illegal activities.

No argument that statement , hmmm, must be money tied to it somehow........

[Oziex1]

As if the United States federal government is in a moral position to be judging other countries illegal activities.

I would replace the "United States Government" with the Human Race, let those who are without sin cast the first stone.

Regardless of our own sins or indiscretions we must speak up and act on this issue.

As an Australian I now have to deal with the strong possibility that my government is paying criminal people smugglers to turn their boats around and not land their human cargo onto Australian shores, The poor and immoral behaviour of the Australian government does not remove my right to voice my opinion on the situation in SE Asia.

[Miami Bob]

As if the United States federal government is in a moral position to be judging other countries illegal activities.

I would replace the "United States Government" with the Human Race, let those who are without sin cast the first stone.

Regardless of our own sins or indiscretions we must speak up and act on this issue.

As an Australian I now have to deal with the strong possibility that my government is paying criminal people smugglers to turn their boats around and not land their human cargo onto Australian shores, The poor and immoral behaviour of the Australian government does not remove my right to voice my opinion on the situation in SE Asia.

Yes of course you have that right to voice your opinion, no argument there. Cheers.

[NickJ]

Thats just how they operate. The Bandaid Principal........Quick fix , move along all back to normal. Nothing to write about. Bad people all transfered to the living hell of inactive posts.

[Jimlove]

As any other crackdown in Thailand it is only effective for a very very short time and then its back to "normal" - no good efforts are ever continued

[LomSak27]

All this moral hand wringing and its not even noon Grab a leo if its too much for ya

Bottom line if Thailand wants to export to the US, it need to clean up its act. If not the US can buy Tuna from Indonesia and farmed shrimp from Vietnam.

Problem what problem ?

[GoodThaiGirl]

we are the worlds hub of band aids..we can cover anything up until the heat goes away..then its all trotters back to the trough..yaaaaay.

[AlQaholic]

It cannot be an upgrade to Tier 2, it can only at best be an upgrade to the Tier 2 watch list, which is another way of saying "you'r off the Tier 3 but we are watching you guys... Don't even dream of Tier 2 until you fulfill the minimum requirement".

Now if one look at the list it becomes clear what company Thailand have in this Tier 3 (The absolute bottom scrap of countries many of which are engaged in horrendous wars or are in all practical sense failed states). For Thailand to sink to this level without even having a war is a quiet remarkable achievement. One would think that a country would strive not to be in the Tier 2 or Tier 2 watch list, but to be in the Tier 1

[Sooo Upto Me]

As if the United States federal government is in a

moral position to be judging other countries illegal

activities.

America sticking their nose in other countries business again.

Wot a surprise. NOT

No argument that statement , hmmm, must be money tied to it somehow........