Private sector sees no short-term Tier 3 impact on Thai exports

BANGKOK, July 28 (TNA) - The United States' continued inclusion of Thailand in its Tier 3 list of countries with serious human trafficking-related issues this year should not affect Thai exports in the short term, namely this year. Nopporn Thepsitthar, Chairman of the Thai National Shippers' Council made the assessment on Tuesday, cautioning, however, if Thailand remained in Tier 3 longer, long-term negative impacts on Thai exports would be likely. Nopporn acknowledged the private sector was aware that the Thai government was seriously solving the long-standing human trafficking-related issues. On Washington's decision on moving neighboring Malaysia from the lowest Tier 3 to Tier 2, Nopporn pointed out that the tenure of US President Barack Obama will end late this year and Washington wants Malaysia to quickly join its Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, while the law prohibits the US government from signing a trade agreement with a Tier 3 country. Meanwhile, Apisit Techanithisawat, President of the Thai Overseas Fisheries Association, told journalists that the Thai fishing industry should not be a cause of Thailand being kept in Tier 3, urging the government to find out if serious human trafficking was happening in any other industry. (TNA)