EU satisfied with Thailand's solutions to IUU issues

BANGKOK, July 4 (TNA) - European Union (EU) officials have expressed their satisfaction with Thailand's efforts to solve the Illegal, Unregulated, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing. Customs Department Director-General Kulit Sombatsiri told journalists of the update on Monday, after last week's visit to Thailand by the EU officials to follow up progress of the country's moves against IUU issues, including those implemented by his department. Kulit acknowledged that there has been 70-80 per cent progress in the Thai government's moves against IUU issues so far. Kulit stressed that the EU officials were satisfied with the progress of his department, saying that his department is ready to fully cooperate with other agencies concerned to prevent Thailand from being imposed a red card by EU. Besides, his department will hold talks with Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong later this week to propose the use of an online tariff calculation application to seal off loopholes and corruption among officials, starting as a pilot project later this month with a total of 144 farm and fashion products at the Laem Chabang Deep Seaport in the Thai East, before expanding to other ports and airports nationwide. Last year, EU imposed a yellow card warning against Thailand's IUU issues. (TNA)