Private sector voice optimism about expected Tier 2 placement by the US



BANGKOK: -- The private sector has voiced optimism about a yet-to-be confirmed report that the United States would raise Thailand's ranking in human trafficking from the lowest Tier 3 placement to Tier 2.

The reaction came as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday clarified details involved in rumors that the US would soon be promoting Thailand’s ranking in its 2016 Trafficking in Persons Report or TIP report.

In the report, Thailand would be raised form the lowest Tier 3 to Tier 2.

Countries placed under the Tier 2 are governments which do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.

In yesterday’s reaction to the new ranking placement, spokesman of the Foreign Ministry Sek Wanna-methee, said the rumors was based on reports made in the foreign media and has not received official confirmation.

He was able to confirm however that all the details on the matter will be made public by the US today.

But he voiced that if Thailand is upgraded from Tier 3, this will have a significant impact upon the country’s fisheries industry.

Thailand is the third largest exporter of seafood exporter in the world and the improvement will greatly help to improve the faltering national economy as a whole.

Chairman of the Thai Shippers Association Mr Nopporn Thepsitta said although this was very good news, the private sector have yet to wait for the official confirmation from the US.

Should the rumors be confirmed, Mr Nopporn stated that exports of the country products – which was faring poorly from an earlier downgrade by the US would receive a much needed boost.

Similarly, president of the Samut Prakarn Fisheries Association Mr Mongkon Sukcharoen-Khanna, also chairman of the Managing Committee of the Thai Fisheries Association, was greatly relieved to hear the news.

He said this would represent a great achievement for the government for their efforts to redress the country’s poor human trafficking record and would no doubt greatly improve Thailand’s fisheries industry as a whole.

Earlier last year, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha vowed during his Friday night “Returning Happiness to the Thai People” that he would put an end to human trafficking in the Thai fishing industry “for once and for all”.

He said, “If such abuses of fellow humans continue, I will instruct that they should not be allowed to do any business any longer in Thailand and they must be punished.”

Gen Prayut said. “Don’t blame me for being cruel. How can you take advantage of other people? You’re incredibly rich and have dozens of boats. It is time to abide by the law.”

He said he had ordered all fishing vessels to be equipped with GPS to prevent them from illegally operating in other countries’ fishing zones.

“Each vessel will have a GPS and be issued under one operator”, he said.

He went on to say that if Thailand failed to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, other countries would no longer buy Thai seafood and that that could cost the nation more than 200 billion baht a year.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/private-sector-voice-optimism-expected-tier-2-placement-us/

-- Thai PBS 2016-06-30

Don't blame me for being cruel. How can you take advantage of other people? Your incredibly rich"...........

They must be so proud.

Just to clarify this statement.

"Thailand is the 3rd largest seafood exporter in the world".

That statement.is correct so far as total exports are concerned. But in Thailand's case a large percentage of that total is farmed (aquaculture) fish.

Statistics show that Thailand is about No.14 on the wild fishery export list.

Nonetheless the total is a great achievement.

Sue any migrants who bring up labor issues?