Panel set up to solve trade, labour problems in Thailand

BANGKOK, June 21 (TNA) - The Ministry of Commerce has set up a trade and labour committee to solve trade and export cruxes, following accusations by foreign countries, especially the United States, on forced labour and human trafficking problems in Thailand. Permanent Secretary for Commerce Srirat Rastapana told journalists on Friday that the committee, comprising high ranking government officials and representatives of the local private sector, will assist another committee, appointed by the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and tasked with solving problems related to migrant workers in Thailand. Srirat insisted that Thai concerned ministries and agencies will also continue to cooperate with each other to solve the problems of child labour, forced labour and human trafficking no matter what the outcome of Washington's human trafficking report is. Srirat was referring to the US annual report on Trafficking in Persons, which was issued on Friday, in which Washington decided to drop Thailand to “Tier 3”, after four consecutive years of holding the Kingdom on Tier 2 warning list. The US has accused five Thai industries, including shrimp, textiles, sugarcane, pornographic materials and fish, of using child and forced labour. Srirat revealed that both the Thai public and private sectors are planning to defend the US charges within this August. Besides, Srirat noted that the European Union (EU) is also pushing its trading partners to strict to environment measures if they want to export to the 27-member grouping. Thai exporters must, thus, refrain from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, as well as respect the EU Timber Regulation and reducing gas emissions. According to the senior official, violations of EU regulations could cause Thailand to lose vital market to other countries which could solve environment problems better. (TNA)