On July 19, 2022, the Labour Minister, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, assigned the Labour Minister’s Advisor, Mrs. Thiwalrat Angkinan, to preside over the release ceremony of the Working Group on the Integration of Inspections on Employment and Working Conditions and Human Trafficking in Marine Fishing Vessels for 2022. Samut Songkhram Provincial Governor Mr. Kajon Srichavanothai, Samut Songkhram Deputy Provincial Governor Mr. Sirisak Sirimangkala, and representatives from relevant agencies in the area, such as the Provincial Internal Security Operations Command, the Provincial Maritime Enforcement Command Center, the Provincial Port Security Control Center, the Samut Songkhram Regional Harbor Office, the Provincial Fisheries Office, the Provincial Immigration Office, the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office, the Samut Songkhram Fisheries Checkpoint, and heads of government agencies under the Ministry of Labour in Samut Songkhram Province participated in this event at the Wat Chong Lom Pier, Ban Prok Subdistrict, Mueang Samut Songkhram District, Samut Songkhram Province.
Mrs. Thiwalrat said that the government under the leadership of the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense General Prayuth Chan-ocha, and the Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who oversees the Ministry of Labour, has important policies to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19 among illegal migrant workers. The Ministry of Labour has taken various measures to manage the work of migrant workers by enforcing the law against migrant workers, employers, and establishments that employ migrant workers to work without the right permission. This is an important mission involving officers in inspecting the work of foreigners and establishments. The effort is a collaboration between the Ministry of Labour, the Marine Department, the Department of Fisheries, the Administrative Department, and the Security Department.
Mrs. Thiwalrat continued that the Ministry of Labour recognizes the importance of solving illegal fishing, child labour in its worst forms, forced labour, and debt bondage, leading to human trafficking in labour. The Samut Songkhram Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Office has worked with relevant agencies to inspect employment and working conditions and human trafficking in fishing vessels. It is a good dimension in working together to prevent and combat human trafficking in labour in marine fisheries and activities related to marine fisheries in Samut Songkhram Province. The inspections follow the missions and authority of each relevant agency, ensuring effectiveness in preventing and suppressing human trafficking in labour in Samut Songkhram Province. She said that the Ministry of Labour thanked all agencies for working together in examining employment and working conditions, human trafficking, child labour, and the prevention of drug use in marine fishing boats. Working together will support achieving the goals and enable workers in fishing boats to receive benefits as required by law, as well as reduce the problem of forced labour and human trafficking in labour, continuing to create a positive image for Thailand.
The Samut Songkhram Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Office organized the project in collaboration with relevant agencies. The objective is to solve the problem of human trafficking in labour, and the worst forms of child labour, to ensure it is managed systematically with clear measures. It aims to protect workers on fishing vessels from becoming victims of labour trafficking. According to the Samut Songkhram Port In-Port Out (PIPO) Center, Samut Songkhram Province has 510 fishing boats with commercial fishing licenses, with 309 employers. There are 3,978 workers working on fishing boats, comprising 1,027 Thai workers and 2,951 foreign workers.
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Division of Public Relations
19 July 2022
