Seafood sector to benefit if Thailand raised to US

BANGKOK, June 30 (TNA) - Thailand’s fishing industry and exports of seafood would benefit if the United States removed Thailand from its Tier 3 human trafficking list. In response to unofficial reports on the positive development, Thai Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong told journalists on June 29 the upgrade, if officially announced by Washington, would show that the Thai government had been on the right track of its efforts to resolve human trafficking issues and the removal, if realised, would benefit the Thai fishing industry and seafood exports, which earn the country a large amount of revenues. In June 2014, the US State Department downgraded Thailand and placed the country on the lowest Tier 3 category in its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. According to an international report, quoting an official in Washington, and a Bangkok-based official of an international organisation, the US government has decided to remove Thailand from its Tier 3 to the so-called “Tier 2 Watch List”, following significant efforts by the Thai government to solve human trafficking issues in the country. The US TIP report 2016 is expected to be released within this week. Meanwhile, Nopporn Thepsitthar, Chairman of Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC), told reporters that the long awaited-decision from the United States to upgrade Thailand to the Tier 2 watching list, from the existing lowest Tier 3 category, could also pave the way for the Thai economy to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Nopporn pointed out that Malaysia was earlier ranked in the US Tier 3 category, but Kuala Lumpur could join TPP after its position was upgraded. The TNSC chair foresaw that the expected upgrade, if realised, would help boost Thai seafood exports to the US market. According to the TNSC chair, Thailand could even be upgraded to Washington's Tier 1 category if every concerned party cooperates on solutions, which could further boost Thai exports and the country's competitiveness on the the global market. (TNA)