Many IUU Problems Have Been Solved, Says Thai PM

BANGKOK, Nov 28 (TNA) – Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has said that his government has solved several problems related to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices accused by the European Union and the United States. Gen. Prayut told journalists on Friday that the US Trade Representatives is now reviewing the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) offered to Thailand following complaints that the kingdom is not properly protecting workers’ rights and forced labour. He said the US government had earlier extended GSP privileges on some 3,400 Thai industrial and agricultural products, retroactive from July 31, 2013 to December 31, 2017. A lot of progress has been made on IUU problem while the Thai Foreign Affairs and the Commerce ministries are explaining what had been done to solve the problem, said Gen. Prayut, adding that if the US scraps its GSP, Thailand is ready to conduct trade negotiations with other countries. Touching on a high-speed rail project in Thailand, he said negotiations between the Thai and the Chinese government have to continue because it is the symbol of cooperation between the two countries. More discussions on the project, especially on the investment amount and the train administration will have to be conducted while the Thai government wants to join in the construction and the use of local materials so that the kingdom does not lose benefit. (TNA)