THE Command Centre for Combating Illegal Fishing yesterday issued an updated report on the progress of Thailand’s campaign to solve the illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing problem.

The European Union’s technical team is due to visit Thailand from Monday to Wednesday next week while its official delegation will be here on Thursday for a two-day mission to observe the latest developments on solutions to the IUU problems.

In response to the EU’s April 2015 warning that Thailand had not complied with international regulations, the centre said in a statement released at the press conference that there are now 28 Port-in-Port-out (PIPO) Controlling Centres in 22 coastal provinces to improve control of fishing vessels weighing more than 30 tonnes.

The government has also issued a Royal Decree to manage the right to fish according to scientific evidence for sustainability and good governance.

To support the new legal framework, 91 subordinate laws have to be written, of which 52 are top priority. All 52 laws have been drafted, including 35 that have been published in the Royal Gazette.

The new legal framework is now enforced by the 28 PIPO Centres and officers from the Fisheries Department, Labour Ministry, Marine Department and multidisciplinary inspection teams.

A legal handbook has been prepared for all fishermen, while a vessel monitoring system (VMS) has been installed in 2,076 out of 2,216 fishing vessels of 60 tonnes or more – 93.7 per cent of the total.

For law enforcement, special task forces comprising several agencies were set up to inspect 474 vessels of 60 tonnes or more.

The inspection uncovered 78 infringements, including 57 violations of the fisheries law, 20 violations of labour laws and one suspected case of trafficking in persons.

Inspections have been performed at 145 factories engaged in seafood processing. Violations were found in 52 factories and in 11 of 30 inspected shrimp-shelling sheds.

Illegal workers were found in 63 factories, five of which were ordered to be suspended for 10 days, while there were 41 cases of prosecution concerning forced labour and human trafficking from October 1 to December 29 last year, including eight cases of forced labour in the fisheries industry.

Memoranda of understanding were signed by government agencies and fishery businesses including non-governmental organisations and international organisations such as Greenpeace, Environmental Justice Foundation and International Labour Organisation.

Thailand also signed MoUs on labour and fisheries cooperation with Cambodia, Vietnam, Fiji, Malaysia, Myanmar and Indonesia.

A budget of Bt228 million has been allocated for fishermen from a total of 873 boats who have requested assistance.

The centre inspected a factory operated by CPF Plc in Nakhon Ratchasima. Captain Narit Pichichaloton from the Navy’s secretariat said the factory visit was aimed at checking working conditions.

Authorities found the company provided good care for its employees including Thai and migrant employees, like free accommodation, medical treatment and counselling. The income was deemed satisfactory, as one of the migrant employees said he had just bought land in Cambodia after working in the factory for two years.

Several companies and agencies would sign a memorandum of understanding vowing to avoid any illegal products or workers.

Apichart Kaewking, vice president of the food processing poultry business at CPF’s factory in Nakhon Ratchasima, said that his factory had no illegal workers.

All workers are under the MoU with Cambodia, and the company ensures the 2,300 migrant workers are well treated, he said.

Speaking at the same press conference, Sonkunthol Khom, 24, a Cambodian migrant worker, said the company provided him a good salary that meant he could send money to his mother in Cambodia every month. The company provides good welfare like free dorms and free lunch, so he spends only Bt3,000 per month.

Tanee Pakaiw of Labour Protection and Welfare said Nakhon Ratchasima has been facing a labour shortage, especially at an electronics factory.

About 213,742 people, including Thais and migrants, worked at 8,107 factories. Most of the migrants worked for small businesses or factories in Muang, Sikhio and Pak Chong districts.