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Viewing cable 09BANGKOK853, Thai Government, Private Sector, and NGOs Engage on

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09BANGKOK853 2009-04-02 10:08 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Bangkok
VZCZCXRO7464
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHJO RUEHNH RUEHPOD
DE RUEHBK #0853/01 0921008
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021008Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6620
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 6396
RUEHXI/LABOR COLLECTIVE
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 000853 
 
Department for G/TIP CChan-Downer, DRL/IL MJunk 
DOL/ILAB for Brandie Sasser 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB PHUM KTIP TH
SUBJECT: Thai Government, Private Sector, and NGOs Engage on 
Trafficking in Fishing Industry 
 
BANGKOK 00000853  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified.  For Official Use Only. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary and Comment: Minister of Social Development and 
Human Security Issara Somchai provided opening remarks March 25 at a 
NGO-organized seminar on the problem of human trafficking in the 
deep sea fishing industry.  The Minister's participation, along with 
that of multiple police officials and representatives from the 
Ministries of Labor and Foreign Affairs, signaled the Royal Thai 
Government's (RTG) recognition of the seriousness of the problem. 
Private fishing industry representatives also attended the seminar, 
allowing the proceedings to go beyond simple venting that sometimes 
characterizes conferences attended only by civil society 
representatives and social workers.  The participation of private 
sector representatives contributed to the growing dialogue among all 
stakeholders on how to best combat the problem of human trafficking 
in the fishing industry.  End summary and comment. 
 
2.  (U) Laboff attended a March 25 seminar on human trafficking 
(TIP) in the deep sea fishing industry, organized by the 
non-governmental Mirror Foundation and financed by the International 
Labor Organization (ILO)  (NOTE: According to its website, the 
non-profit Mirror Foundation, originally established to provide 
broad assistance to ethnic minority "hill tribe" people in northern 
Thailand, has expanded activities to provide assistance to human 
trafficking victims.  End Note).  The approximately 75 participants 
in the seminar represented various civil society organizations 
(NGOs), the Royal Thai Government's (RTG) Ministry of Social 
Development and Human Security (MSDHS), and Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (MFA).  Twenty-nine representatives from the Ministry of 
Labor's (MOL) provincial-level offices in areas known to be source 
and destination areas for fishing industry workers also attended. 
Importantly, the private fishing industry was also present, 
represented by Titikorn Lohakoop, Secretary General of the Fishing 
Association of Thailand, and Aphisit Techanitiswat, President of the 
Deep Sea Fishing Association. 
 
3.  (SBU) In an showing of the seriousness with which the RTG takes 
the issue, Minister of Social Development and Human Security Issara 
Somchai provided opening remarks with a message of commitment to 
prevent and to combat human trafficking in the fishing industry.  He 
told the audience that at the Anti-TIP Committee (ATP) meeting 
chaired by the Prime Minister on February 23, the committee agreed 
to set up a working group to look specifically at TIP in the fishing 
industry.  Wanlop Phloytabtim, the Permanent Secretary of MSDHS, 
also spoke, emphasizing that the RTG recognizes the potential for 
TIP in the industry.  He noted that the RTG understands the serious 
of the problem and said that Thai laborers usually shun fishing jobs 
due to the difficult and sometimes dangerous nature of the work. 
Wanlop explained that this generates a demand for foreign workers in 
the industry who are often vulnerable to exploitation by labor 
brokers willing to engage in trafficking. 
 
4.  (SBU) Two panel discussions with representatives from the 
private sector, NGOs, police, MSDHS, and MOL followed, generating 
discussion during a question and answer session.  Interesting points 
included those made by a representative from the Mirror Foundation: 
 
- Most of the Foundation's cases of missing persons involve laborers 
from deep sea fishing vessels. 
 
- Most TIP victims from the deep sea fishing industry assisted by 
the Foundation were lured to work on vessels with a promise of high 
wages.  If their vessel's crew failed to catch enough fish to make a 
profit, captains sometimes declined to pay workers. 
 
- Payments to workers usually entail fixed payments and payments 
made through profit sharing agreements. 
 
He pointed out what he considers key obstacles to the protection of 
worker rights in the deep sea fishing industry: 
 
- The Labor Protection Act does not provide protection to laborers 
on oceanic fishing vessels who continuously work outside of Thailand 
(e.g. in international waters) for more than one year.  Workers in 
the fishing industry do not have access to the government social 
security system.  (NOTE: Pornchai Yooprayong, the Deputy Permanent 
Secretary of the MOL, (one of the panelists) stated he would study 
the suggestion that the Labor Protection Act be revised to address 
this problem.  End Note). 
 
- Most workers on fishing boats are migrants or poorly-educated 
Thais who do not have knowledge of relevant laws or their rights. 
Generally poor, they are often more interested in finding work, even 
after being victimized, than assisting authorities with prosecution 
efforts. 
 
BANGKOK 00000853  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
- Checks of vessels prior to their departure (by Immigration police, 
Customs officials, Public Health officers, etc.) are not rigorously 
carried out. 
 
5.  (SBU) In addition, an ILO representative stated that one-third 
of the child labor cases in which it provides assistance involve the 
fishing and fishing-related industries.  A representative from the 
MFA commented on the difficulty of coordinating with other nations 
to assist Thai TIP victims abroad and explained that many 
governments view TIP victims as illegal migrants who should be 
penalized, not aided.  The Secretary General of the Fishing 
Association of Thailand noted that while TIP victims are sometimes 
found on deep sea vessels, they are generally not found on 
day-fishing boats, which generally employ Thai laborers.  While 
stating he recognizes the problem of TIP in his industry, the 
President of the Deep Sea Fishing Association suggested the 
government should provide assistance to boat owners to defray costs 
(even if this implied increased regulation) so that owners do not 
need to rely on cheap labor to turn a profit.