On May 18, 2022, at 09.30 hours, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin and the Ministry of Labour’s executives and civil servants joined in the welcome for the courtesy call to Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan by Mr. Steve Trent, Executive Director of the Environmental Justice Foundation. The meeting discussed labour and fisheries reforms in the Thai fishing industry. The Department of Employment assigned the Department of Employment’s Deputy Director-General Mr. Santi Nantasuwan, the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare assigned Deputy Director-General Ms. Kanchana Poolkaew, the Command Center of Prevention on Labour (CCPL), and the International Cooperation Bureau also joined the occasion at the Headquarters Building 1, Government Houses.
The discussions this time included the development of Thai fisheries and the promotion of Thailand to become a regional leader in combating IUU fishing. “The Thai government has continued promoting and protecting labour rights in the fisheries sector to raise labour standards against human trafficking and forced labour. It has increased rigorous labour inspections at ports, factories, and at sea and strictly prosecuting labour cases in the fishing industry, which effectively prevents the violation of fishermen’s rights.”
In the afternoon, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Boonchob Suttamanaswong, assigned representatives from the Ministry of Labour, consisting of the Department of Employment, the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, the Command Center of Prevention on Labour (CCPL), and the International Cooperation Bureau as representatives to attend to clarify together with the Department of Fisheries following EJF’s concerns on the situation of the Thai fishing industry and labour in the fishery sector. The meeting took place at the Kula Dam meeting room, Department of Fisheries.
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Division of Public Relations
18 May 2009