Thailand has no problem of forced labours in fishery sector

BANGKOK, January 28 (TNA) - Authorities concerned have confirmed that there have been no forced labours in Thailand's fishery sector, which may lead to protectionist measures against Thai fishery products by overseas markets. The confirmation was made on Monday by Thai Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Siriwat Kajornprasart, after he led executives of his ministry's Fishery Department to inspect seaside Samut Sakhon and Samut Prakan provinces, where over 500 Thai fishery businesses are located, namely processed seafood factories, with their total production of more than two million tonnes worth 2 trillion baht. Earlier, foreign media reports claimed that there were forced child and adult labours at Thai seafood factories, namely Thai canned tuna plants, which could be raised as a condition for imposing protectionist measures against Thai seafood products by overseas economies, as Thailand is now the world's top exporter of canned tuna. The deputy minister said that measures issued by his ministry and implemented by the Department of Fishery and other concerned labours agencies appear to be effective in addressing overall labour problems in Thailand, as several foreign diplomats have shown their satisfaction while inspecting the areas earlier. Besides, the deputy minister acknowledged, local business operators have given their full cooperation on labour control, as well as on production processes to meet world standards. (TNA)