EU keeps 'illegal, unregulated' industry on the hook
YUKAKO ONO, Nikkei staff writer

BANGKOK -- Thailand's military government and leaders of the country's lucrative but tainted fishing industry have been holding their collective breath this week while a visiting European Union delegation assesses practices and standards in order to decide if seafood from Thailand should be banned.

The EU issued Thailand a 'yellow card' in April by way of a rebuke for the illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing practices of the world's third largest seafood exporter. Europe consumes about 10% of Thailand's seafood exports.

EU inspections are ongoing until Thursday and results are due to be released in February. Ahead of the delegation's arrival last week, Thai authorities gave reporters a last-minute rundown on remedial steps taken over the past eight months.

Full story: http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/EU-keeps-illegal-unregulated-industry-on-the-hook

-- NIKKEI ASIAN REVIEW 2016-01-21

"I am confident that the EU will lift the yellow card -- or at least maintain the yellow flag for another six months and not give us the red card," said Poj Aramwattananont, chairman of the Thai Fishery Producers Coalition.

I don't know what they will do but I am 100% confident that making speculative statements is a really good way to look stupid in a few days.

Edited January 21, 201610 yr by BudRight

Not a good time for a private-company to be seen relentlessly harassing a labour-activist through the courts !

They took off all these fischermen. So, everything looks fine during the EU delegation visit.

After they are gone, they will conti... with bussiness as usual

So what does Poj Aramwattananont know?

Perhaps just have to finalize a nice big aviation contract with the EU and in return the EU will have no problem ignoring the human rights abuses and Andy Hall.

"I am confident that the EU will lift the yellow card -- or at least maintain the yellow flag for another six months and not give us the red card," said Poj Aramwattananont, chairman of the Thai Fishery Producers Coalition.

I don't know what they will do but I am 100% confident that making speculative statements is a really good way to look stupid in a few days.

Yes but it feels good right now - lets live for the moment and let the future take care of itself!

EU will maintain the yellow card for another six months. It loses nothing by doing so and will recognize the new policies, laws and procedures put inplace in response to a threat of a red card.

The remedies to avoid an economic sanction must be substantiated and realistic. Given the history of Thailand's human trafficking, significant enforcement actions will be more meaningful than words and "shadows" of action.

But the change in national behaivor must be motivated by rewards as well as punishments. If threat of sanctions only follows with punishment, a country will reactwould be justified to protect its sovereignty by discounting economic threats as a political agenda rather than a humantarium agenda.

The Bullshit talk of what they have done in the last 8 Months is not important,,,,What Really is important is How Good they done that and if it is up to scratch for the EU inspectors.

EU will maintain the yellow card for another six months. It loses nothing by doing so and will recognize the new policies, laws and procedures put inplace in response to a threat of a red card.

The remedies to avoid an economic sanction must be substantiated and realistic. Given the history of Thailand's human trafficking, significant enforcement actions will be more meaningful than words and "shadows" of action.

But the change in national behaivor must be motivated by rewards as well as punishments. If threat of sanctions only follows with punishment, a country will reactwould be justified to protect its sovereignty by discounting economic threats as a political agenda rather than a humantarium agenda.

This isn't about human trafficking. It's about illegal fishing practices. The EU inspectors will be looking to see what improvements have been made, and follow the paperwork trail to prove it is being recorded and managed.

My experience of EU rules and checks on them is that they are somewhat less than robust and as with all things EU open to political pressure from within.

EU will maintain the yellow card for another six months. It loses nothing by doing so and will recognize the new policies, laws and procedures put inplace in response to a threat of a red card.

The remedies to avoid an economic sanction must be substantiated and realistic. Given the history of Thailand's human trafficking, significant enforcement actions will be more meaningful than words and "shadows" of action.

But the change in national behaivor must be motivated by rewards as well as punishments. If threat of sanctions only follows with punishment, a country will reactwould be justified to protect its sovereignty by discounting economic threats as a political agenda rather than a humantarium agenda.

This isn't about human trafficking. It's about illegal fishing practices. The EU inspectors will be looking to see what improvements have been made, and follow the paperwork trail to prove it is being recorded and managed.

My experience of EU rules and checks on them is that they are somewhat less than robust and as with all things EU open to political pressure from within.

Who the hell do the European Union think they are when they themselves are as corrupt as Thailand is...EU Auditors have refused to sign off the EU accounts for 20 years it is so corrupt.

EU will maintain the yellow card for another six months. It loses nothing by doing so and will recognize the new policies, laws and procedures put inplace in response to a threat of a red card.

The remedies to avoid an economic sanction must be substantiated and realistic. Given the history of Thailand's human trafficking, significant enforcement actions will be more meaningful than words and "shadows" of action.

But the change in national behaivor must be motivated by rewards as well as punishments. If threat of sanctions only follows with punishment, a country will reactwould be justified to protect its sovereignty by discounting economic threats as a political agenda rather than a humantarium agenda.

This isn't about human trafficking. It's about illegal fishing practices. The EU inspectors will be looking to see what improvements have been made, and follow the paperwork trail to prove it is being recorded and managed.

My experience of EU rules and checks on them is that they are somewhat less than robust and as with all things EU open to political pressure from within.

Who the hell do the European Union think they are when they themselves are as corrupt as Thailand is...EU Auditors have refused to sign off the EU accounts for 20 years it is so corrupt.

If the EU was not corrupt would that make Thailand less so?

EU will maintain the yellow card for another six months. It loses nothing by doing so and will recognize the new policies, laws and procedures put inplace in response to a threat of a red card.

The remedies to avoid an economic sanction must be substantiated and realistic. Given the history of Thailand's human trafficking, significant enforcement actions will be more meaningful than words and "shadows" of action.

But the change in national behaivor must be motivated by rewards as well as punishments. If threat of sanctions only follows with punishment, a country will reactwould be justified to protect its sovereignty by discounting economic threats as a political agenda rather than a humantarium agenda.

This isn't about human trafficking. It's about illegal fishing practices. The EU inspectors will be looking to see what improvements have been made, and follow the paperwork trail to prove it is being recorded and managed.

My experience of EU rules and checks on them is that they are somewhat less than robust and as with all things EU open to political pressure from within.

Really ?? So if the EU inspectors see that Thailand has updated all their boats will GPS tracking, Have for traceabillity on what and where fish are being caught, and all the boats have the proper permits. Then it doesn't matter that they are using Slave labor ??

If this is what you think; then I feel sorry for the company that you work for ! Because your EU experience is worth nothing !

So what does Poj Aramwattananont know?

Perhaps just have to finalize a nice big aviation contract with the EU and in return the EU will have no problem ignoring the human rights abuses and Andy Hall.

I doubt Thai airlines have the money to spend on new aircraft; I doubt the European aerospace industry would trust them to adhere to a contract. A few used U-boats, maybe.

EU will maintain the yellow card for another six months. It loses nothing by doing so and will recognize the new policies, laws and procedures put inplace in response to a threat of a red card.

The remedies to avoid an economic sanction must be substantiated and realistic. Given the history of Thailand's human trafficking, significant enforcement actions will be more meaningful than words and "shadows" of action.

But the change in national behaivor must be motivated by rewards as well as punishments. If threat of sanctions only follows with punishment, a country will reactwould be justified to protect its sovereignty by discounting economic threats as a political agenda rather than a humantarium agenda.

This isn't about human trafficking. It's about illegal fishing practices. The EU inspectors will be looking to see what improvements have been made, and follow the paperwork trail to prove it is being recorded and managed.

My experience of EU rules and checks on them is that they are somewhat less than robust and as with all things EU open to political pressure from within.

Who the hell do the European Union think they are when they themselves are as corrupt as Thailand is...EU Auditors have refused to sign off the EU accounts for 20 years it is so corrupt.

If the EU was not corrupt would that make Thailand less so?

No obviously not but i was raising the point of the credibility that the European Union views its self as some holy defender of human rights when it is far far from it and is in fact a major abuser of human rights itself...besides stealing European's hard fought for democracy just see what the EU does to Africans - http://capx.co/how-the-eu-starves-africa-into-submission/