The Thai Fishery Producers Coalition (TFPC) confirmed long-term practice with a clear and tangible action plan for proactive operation aiming to create a phenomenon ‘Clear’ Fishery Industry.
The Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand led by Chairman Isara Vongkusolkit, together with TFPC, have jointly signed the declaration of intent to ‘Stop Illegal labour in the Fishery Industrial Chain’ at the World Ballroom, Floor 23, Centara Grand at Central World.
The signing of the letter by TFPC has showed strong collabouration of those concerned fishery associations comprising the Thai Frozen Foods Association, Thai Food Processors’ Association, Thai Tuna Industry Association, Thai Shrimp Association, the National Fisheries Association of Thailand, Thai Overseas Fisheries Association, Thai Feed Mill Association and Thai Fishmeal Producers Association.
They also show their strong stance and the cooperation with all the government agencies to announce an action plan that they will seriously step further legal practice and international requirement on stop using illegal labour, child labour, forced labour and human trafficking throughout the industry’s supply chain. The industry has implemented concrete plan and considered an action plan in the near future to ensure they can legally move forward to its goal.
With the honorable presence by Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister Yukol Limlamthong, Minister of Social Development and Human Security Pawena Hongsakul, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Siriwat Kajornprasart and representatives from the ministry, representatives from embassies along with other related industries totaling over 300 are witness the event.
The event reflects the collabouration of all private sectors in the fishery cluster throughout the industrial chain led by Dr Poj Aramwattananont, president of Thai Frozen Foods Association, Dr Somsak Paneetatyasai, president of Thai Shrimp Association, Mr Pornsil Patcharintanakul, president of Thai Feed Mill Association, Ms Ghanyapad Tantipipatpong, president of Thai Food Processors’ Association, Dr Chanintr Chalisarapong, president of Thai Tuna Industry Association, Mr Sanguansak Akaravarinechai, president of the Thai Fishmeal Producers Association, Mr Wiriya Sirichaiekawat, president of the Thai Overseas Fisheries Association and Mr Pubase Chantanimi, chairman of National Fisheries Association of Thailand.
Dr Poj, who is also chairman of the labour and Human Resource Committee, Board of Trade of Thailand, said TFPC has been formed by those eight associations and with the joining of Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL (CPF) to solve the labour issues.
It has focused on four-key objectives, first is to encourage fair practices in the working place throughout the fishery industrial chain and also prevented the use of illegal labour, child labour, forced labour and human trafficking. In addition, it needs to follow the labour law of Thailand and international requirement.
Second is to jointly prevent the use of those illegal labours within the cluster of fishery industries.
Third is to join hands with the government agencies and labour related organizations to campaign against those illegal labours in the industry along with migrant labour management in compliance of relevant Thai and international laws.
Finally, jointly organizing activities to promote and support access to education of migrant children in the Thai educational system which, in turn, would prevent and rectify child labour issue within the Thai fishery manufacturing industry.
“We believe that the implementation of four-key objectives will encourage the fishery industry to focus more on legal workers and related activities in particular,” said Dr Poj.
The collabouration of the eight associations with the joining of CPF to solve the labour issues within the cluster of fishery industry with earnestness is to release Thailand from the allegation of unfair treatment for migrant labour and human trafficking (to prevent USA to remove Thailand from the Tier 2 Watch List onto Tier 3), Dr Poj stressed.
