Chatchai wary of TIP report influencing EU evaluation

[webfact]

Chatchai wary of TIP report influencing EU evaluation
By The Nation

 

File photo

 

BANGKOK: -- The European Union’s evaluation of illegal fishing in Thailand could be influenced by the Kingdom remaining in the US Tier 2 Watch List of the 2017 Trafficking in Persons report for another year, Agriculture Minister Chatchai Sarikalya said.

 

The EU delegation is due to visit Thailand in the first half of next month to follow up on the country’s progress in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. 

 

Thailand so far has made some progress in fishery fleet management as nearly 100 per cent of fishing vessels have already been registered, he said, but noted that the authorities had not been able to trace a number of fishery trawlers.

 

All fishery vessels, including supporting ships, are now installed with a Vessel Monitoring System, he said. He said there were some problems with the controlling centre since officials were not yet fully familiar with the equipment and the system. Some officials are now undergoing training to handle the South Korean-made control system, he said.

 

The government has made progress in law enforcement as more than 100 cases are now being prosecuted, he said. 

 

He believes the measures and actions taken by the government are enough for the EU to remove Thailand’s “yellow card” status. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30319401

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-29

[Retiredandhappyhere]

"He believes the measures and actions taken by the government are enough for the EU to remove Thailand’s “yellow card” status." 

 

 

Just the same as the Government were sure that they would be removed from the US TIP's Tier 2 (watch) status?

 

No harm in hoping, I suppose, but I suspect there might be more disappointment just around the corner, although, in truth, they have probably already prepared their predictable "unfair, misunderstood, out of date"  excuses. 

[rkidlad]

Yes, the EU and US think like us even though we are this amazingly unique culture that farangs are too dumb to understand.

 

Wait! They don't don't think like us? They value actions over words? That's not fair!

 

Enjoy your unique culture, Thailand. It truly is all yours. 

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

I personally hope that they red card every single Thai commercial Trawler, they have no respect for the environment at all.

[Srikcir]

On 6/29/2017 at 5:19 AM, webfact said:

authorities had not been able to trace a number of fishery trawlers.

Perhaps not an oversight or lack of training but deliberate. According to Reuters and Thai military arrest of a naval officer in 2015 ( who has yet to be convicted), the Thai navy has had possible involvement with human trafficking.

 

Mere installation of monitoring equipment on ships and an operations center will not change a culture or enterprise practice. When Prayut has minimized if not completely obstructed Thailand's National Human Rights Commission, there is no check and balance to the continued sanction of human trafficking when the government is either complicit or insincere in stopping human trafficking in Thailand.