Thai government says it's not ignoring shrimp sheds slavery

[englishoak]

Just another one of those Pinocchio moments.

[williamgeorgeallen]

^{do the thai authorities ever admit to anything?}

[waldroj]

Weren't we recently told that junta-head angrily denied the reports?

[Just1Voice]

In other words - "Oh, we've been caught with our pants down - again - so now it's "denial time". As usual.

[KIWIBATCH]

...another hub in the making...Thailand......"Hub of Denials.....

[Crash999]

"the foreign news agency who wrote the story about the alleged slave labour did not actually make an inspection to the shrimp peeling shed"

Wait, what? Should be pretty easy for AP to verify that they visited the shrimp peeling facility.

Hopefully they didn't just rely on second-hand stories.

[Eric Loh]

"Sansern said the government was already aware of slavery in the industry before the AP report was released Dec. 14. "Authorities found it first," he said."

OMG these people are impressive. How do thay say this stuff with a straight face??

Sansern is a veteran facing the public with a straight face since the day when he was the spokesman for CRES. Then he was a colonel and he has since been promoted to Maj General for spouting continous denials. Not an impressive job and jeez, at least he got promotion for doing a crappy job.

[retarius]

"Government spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd and other officials said the government had been strictly enforcing the fisheries and labour laws to crack down on illegal labour while swiftly prosecuting offenders."

Maj-Gen Sansern's statement has about as much credibility as a Pentagon press release.

Now personally I haven't heard about anybody actually being convicted in court for trafficking offenses or slavery (please correct me if I am wrong). I haven't heard of anybody going to jail, or having their boat impounded, their factory closed, or their assets seized. I guess it boils down to your definition of 'swiftly prosecuting

[recycler]

Foreigners simply don't understand Thai style democracy, Thai style press freedom and also have no idea of Thai style employers... They should not write about things they don't understand!

[soalbundy]

What did you think they would say?

[Arandora]

"Government spokesman Maj-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd told a press conference that reporter of the foreign news agency who wrote the story about the alleged slave labour did not actually make an inspection to the shrimp peeling shed in Samut Sakhon which was mentioned in his report."

Watched a report on Al Jazeera News last night where they sent a news team to interview the management at the factory but the mangement response was to send a bunch of security guards to refuse entrance. They also showed an interview with a Burmese worker who wished to remain anonymous who told the reporter how many hours he worked for a pittance and after agreeing overtime they paid him less than he had been promised. Documents supporting this were shown.

No doubt the news agency who first reported this received a similar welcome from the factory owners/management.

[DrTuner]

I've figured out why Thailand is the hub of balcony divers. It's the only way to get your head deep enough in the sand.

[tuanku]

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

William Shakespeare

[BORRISGOODENUF]

http://www.sustainalytics.com/forced-labour-and-slavery-thai-shrimp-industry

As a matter of Interest, this is an interesting read.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

"Sansern also said it was incorrect to suggest in the report that police raids could send migrants without proper paperwork to jail while factory owners went unpunished."

Standard operationg procedure for Thailand. Just like being a passenger in a taxi, if there is an accident they make the passenger pay for the damages caused by the drunk and reckless driver because if you weren't in the car the accident wouldn't have happened.

They say the reporter was never at the shed to interview people? I bet the security at that place is better than anything we will see for the public on New Years. There is little or no chance of a reporter getting in or the slaves getting out.

You can't hide from this one Thailand, your BS just won't cut it on the world stage. Clean up your act!!!

I hope Thailand seafood will be banned on a massive scale. It's the only way they will learn. Do it now!!!

Edited December 22, 2015 by ALLSEEINGEYE

[WaiLai]

Foreigners simply don't understand Thai style democracy, Thai style press freedom and also have no idea of Thai style employers... They should not write about things they don't understand!

Would you mind expanding on your statements?

I'd welcome any education you could give me on Thai (democracy style, press freedoms, employers)

Please take my request as sincere.

[2fishin2]

Foreigners simply don't understand Thai style democracy, Thai style press freedom and also have no idea of Thai style employers... They should not write about things they don't understand!

Would you mind expanding on your statements?

I'd welcome any education you could give me on Thai (democracy style, press freedoms, employers)

Please take my request as sincere.

I think he was being sarcastic???

[arrowsdawdle]

^{do the thai authorities ever admit to anything?}

Sure, coups.

[kjun12]

This government, as those before, only tells the truth by mistake. Lies are their standard delivery.

[mikiea]

Foreigners simply don't understand Thai style democracy, Thai style press freedom and also have no idea of Thai style employers... They should not write about things they don't understand!

huh .....? bada bada bing ..............

[IAMHERE]

IF there were anything factual or true in this report the USA would never allow Thai fish or shrimp to be sold in America. So it must be near untrue at the closest.

[Jim walker]

Groundless well we can take that as gospel then coming from Military junta regime "Global supermarkets selling shrimp peeled by slaves", just something made up by AP News as it was probably a slow day and not much happening in the world so they thought good day to publish some rubbish regarding Thailand prawns, and as for the child labour well that’s easy explained in a country that has 30 year old teenagers.

[rodknock]

Help,Help we have been caught with our pants down. what are we going to do. i hope this does not interrupt the brown bags!

the dog and pony show is exposed.

who in there right mind does not believe that the powers that be did not know what was going on?

when we are talking about billions of dollars, there is no truth.

they think every one is stupid and will believe what they say.

[soalbundy]

you've got to admit that the governments attempts at refuting the accusations makes a good read, kept in the fiction section of the library soon. PR lesson Nr.1, if you are going to lie make it convincing and don't leave a back door open for the truth to creep in, too late on this one i suppose, better luck next time

[Balance]

The goings on in Thailand may no longer be relevant as there have been at least two class action lawsuits brought by Costco members to force Costco to label all Thai seafood products with the statement that they are made with forced labor and child labor. It is unclear how fast these suits will move through the courts, but it is much more likely that Costco will cut all ties with CP and and any other Thai suppliers long before it put such a label on their products.

The clock is ticking.

[connda]

Can't keep slave labor in long enough:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880422-thai-government-says-its-not-ignoring-shrimp-sheds-slavery/page-2#entry10219250?utm_source=newsletter-20151222-0738&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news

Can't kick foreigners out fast enough:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880567-thai-immigration-nab-110-foreigners-in-overstay-criminal-cases/?utm_source=newsletter-20151222-0738&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news

[wvavin]

The international communities are laughing .........

[Dumbastheycome]

Foreigners simply don't understand Thai style democracy, Thai style press freedom and also have no idea of Thai style employers... They should not write about things they don't understand!

huh .....? bada bada bing ..............

Hmmmm. Iraq invasion. Against UN. Chem weapons. ? Found?. No..... lie. Admitted? No.

[SunsetT]

"Government spokesman Maj-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd told a press conference that reporter of the foreign news agency who wrote the story about the alleged slave labour did not actually make an inspection to the shrimp peeling shed in Samut Sakhon which was mentioned in his report." Watched a report on Al Jazeera News last night where they sent a news team to interview the management at the factory but the mangement response was to send a bunch of security guards to refuse entrance. They also showed an interview with a Burmese worker who wished to remain anonymous who told the reporter how many hours he worked for a pittance and after agreeing overtime they paid him less than he had been promised. Documents supporting this were shown. No doubt the news agency who first reported this received a similar welcome from the factory owners/management.

....Also watched a damning report on this today on the Chinese English news channel CCTV whatever it is, and they were very pessimistic about whether any improvements would be enforced by Thai authorities. Given their interests here, I would have thought the Chinese would have been more supportive and sympathetic to Thailand in their reporting of this. Good to see they are not though.

[iReason]

"Government spokesman Maj-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd told a press conference that reporter of the foreign news agency who wrote the story about the alleged slave labour did not actually make an inspection to the shrimp peeling shed in Samut Sakhon which was mentioned in his report."

Bold faced lie.

Not hard to find:

"Win, (#31) fled with his pregnant wife Nisaan. She was captured less than 24 hours later by the shed manager. He dragged her away by her hair."

"She was found at a nearby fish factory."