Thailand's fishery roadmap approved

BANGKOK, July 5 (TNA) - The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, as well as public and private agencies related to Thailand’s fishery industry have agreed on a roadmap designed for solving problems for workers engaged in the industry, about two weeks after the United States downgraded the Thai Kingdom for allegedly allowing forced labour and human trafficking to remain unresolved. The roadmap was endorsed by representatives of the concerned agencies during their meeting in Bangkok on Saturday (Jul 5), chaired by Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperatives Chavalit Chookajorn. Chavalit told reporters after the meeting that the participants approved the roadmap, proposed by his ministry’s Fisheries Department and the plan will then be forwarded to a policy committee for its further consideration. The roadmap contains guidelines for good labour practice and regulations for Thai trawlers from violating fishing law and human trafficking. On June 20, Washington downgraded Thailand in its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, as it dropped the country to its Tier 3, from Tier 2, watch list. Washington has accused five Thai industries, including shrimp, textiles, sugarcane, pornographic materials and fishery, of using child and forced labor. (TNA)