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For immediate release on 28 November 2014 Press Release Please review of the policy to supply prisoners to supplement fishery workers As announced by Minister of Labour, Gen. Surasak Kanchanrat, in order to tackle human trafficking, prisoners will be supplied to supplement migrant workers employed in fishery sector. On 22 November 2014, the Minister held a policy talk with the Minister of Justice and it was initially agreed that those convicted by the final decision of the Court who have almost done their jail time or are on parole, if willing, are allowed to work in fishing trawlers in order to address human trafficking and to reduce the number of prisoners in prisons. At present, fishing and downstream marine fishery industry are an important production units bringing in huge economic value to the country. Statistically, from January to May 2014, the volume of fishery production and export amounts to 704,658 tons worth 89,596 million baht.1 Meanwhile, the Thai state has barely invested in developing the infrastructure of the industry. No investment has been made on advanced technology and personnel development and as a result, the industry has to rely on a lot of unskilled labour. Thus, fishery is considered a 3D job - dirty, dangerous and demeaning and it has led to many restrictions in its employment condition and has given rise to human trafficking. The Human Rights and Development Foundation (HRDF) as a civil society organization has been raising awareness among state and private sectors about a shortage of labour in the industry. But we deem that supplying prisoners to supplement labour working in fishing trawlers will only address the problem in a short run. Given that they are unskilled labour, it will not permanently help to solve a shortage of labour in fishery industry. HRDF urges that the Thai government consider the following proposals; 1. Review the policy to address human trafficking by supplying prisoners to work in fishing trawlers instead of migrant workers since it fails to solve the problem at its root causes and will not be sustainable. 2. Collaboration between the Thai state and business sector must be made to address a shortage of labour in fishery industry through an increase of investment in adopting advanced equipment and technology and to provide skill training to workers in fishery industry. With respect in human rights and human dignity Human Rights and Development Foundation (HRDF) 28 November 2014 ______________________________________________
For more information, please contact: Ms. Nattarat Aroonmaharat, Coordinator of the Anti Human Trafficking in Labour Project, tel. 092-6690417 Mr. Papop Siamhan, Litigation Coordinator, Anti Human Trafficking in Labour Project, tel. 094-5485306
1According to the Fisheries Foreign Affairs Division http://www.fisheries.go.th/foreign/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16&Itemid=14