SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Thai News Service] — October 8, 2014 — Less than four months after the US downgraded the kingdom on its labour conditions and trafficking watch list, a draft law aimed at protecting Thai fishermen, ending human trafficking, forbidding persons below age 18 from working in the industry and making skippers legally liable employers is making gradual progress.
Sunee Chaiyarose, chairwoman of the subcommittee on Labour and Social Welfare, told journalists Tuesday after a draft law meeting that several provisions have been amended and they would be given to the cabinet for consideration.
If approved, the Labour Ministry will issue ministerial regulations designed for resolving the human trafficking problem found mostly in the fishing industry as well as forbidding those aged below 18 from being employed on fishing boats, said Ms Sunee.
Also, the draft law specifies that the ship's captain is considered as employer because fishermen always have problems with the skipper while at sea, she said.
On June 20, Washington downgraded Thailand in its annual report on Trafficking in Persons as it dropped the country to Tier 3 after holding the kingdom on the Tier 2 warning list for four consecutive years.
The US has accused five Thai industries – shrimp, textiles, sugarcane, pornographic materials and fisheries – of using child and forced labour.
Ms Sunee said the draft law also called on employers to formally register fishermen although they change jobs frequently, aimed at solving human trafficking problems
This story originally appeared on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It has been reprinted with permission.