Regional News

Greenpeace Warns Thailand over Fish Stocks

Fishermen controversially use fine nets to scour the bottom of the sea indiscriminately

BANGKOK– Environmentalists say that the scale of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is devastating stock numbers in Thai waters. They also warn that the danger is being overlooked by the government.

Recently, the Greenpeace ship Esperanza docked in Bangkok after patrolling in the Gulf of Thailand to witness the state of the sea. Over a fortnight, its crew documented more than a hundred examples of illegal and destructive fishing.

The ship encountered scores of bottom-trawling fishing vessels, which pull fine nets that scrape the bottom of the ocean, picking up all sea life – big and small.

“Trash fish can only be sold for just 4 baht (12 US cents) per kilo

The environmental campaign group says the marine ecosystem in Thai waters is being destroyed as a result of the controversial method. The nets also capture so-called “trash” fish, juveniles that are picked up unintentionally, leading to a massive reduction in fish stocks.

“Let’s say that, out of 100 kilogram weight of a trawler’s catch, 60 kilograms will be trash fish,” said Sirassa Kantaratanakul from Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

“Eighteen to 32 percent of the catch could be left to grow to be the next generation of the ecosystem or be our food in the future.”

However, as margins get squeezed and fisheries look to maximize profits, almost everything the nets collect is sold. Firms don’t earn much revenue from the trash fish, despite its uses – often being processed into cheap feed for farm animals or fertilizer.

“Trash fish can only be sold for just 4 baht (12 US cents) per kilo. But they still take out these juvenile fish so they can offset some of the cost of the oil to power their vessels. It’s irresponsible,” Kantaratanakul told DW.

Scale of problem worsens

Greenpeace’s figures suggest that fish catches have declined continuously over the past 50 years. What was 300 kilograms (660 pounds) per hour in 1961 has plummeted to just 25 kilos per hour in 2011, according to a measurement known as Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE).

But the Thai government says the figures are misleading and that the decline has been arrested in recent years.

“The CPUE from the last five or six years has been quite stable because of government action,” said Dr. Wimol Jantrarotai, Director-General of the Fisheries Department.

“We’ve put artificial reef as a barrier along the coast line and from next year we’re going to close the Gulf of Thailand for two months at a certain time of year to all fishing.”

Currently, a few areas are closed off but the project’s extension will see a much wider exclusion zone.

Dr Jantrarotai says in those areas where trawling has been restricted, the scheme has been successful at improving fish stocks.

Sailing too close

New fishing legislation is currently being picked over by members of Thailand’s National Assembly. Officials say when it comes into effect next year, there will be even stricter penalties for illegal and destructive fishing.

Small fish should be left in the ocean to breed and allow stock to recover, say Greenpeace

But some commentators think that larger fisheries ignore current regulations and widespread corruption doesn’t help.

“The commercial fishing vessels make up 20 percent of the total fishing vessels compared to 80 percent for artisan fisherman. But the commercial trawlers take 90 percent of the fish from Thai waters, so that is where the problem is,” said Kantaratanakul.

The crew of Esperanza witnessed several instances where trawlers had entered protected waters. Thailand has a three-kilometer (1.86-mile) exclusion zone in place along its coast.

Greenpeace wants the law changed to expand the no-fishing zone to five or even twelve kilometers.

Fishing for trouble?

During the NGO’s monitoring activity, there were also incursions into Marine National Parks. There are six such parks around the Gulf of Thailand, which are also supposedly off limits.

Margins on fish sales are squeezed, despite there being plenty of demand

The lack of police patrols means illegal fishing is rampant, according to Greenpeace.

Kantaratanakul, who is Oceans Campaigner for Southeast Asia, said they saw many boats whose crews told them not to film as they knew they were fishing too close to the shore.

“The next day we went out again and no-one was there. So it shows that if the government had stronger enforcement, no one would break the law.”

Officials cite a lack of resources for not stepping up patrols.

The Department of Fisheries says it has recruited the fishing community as its eyes and ears in the sea, which some experts think is flawed – a system of policing by those who need to be monitored.

Threat to livelihoods

“Last year there were more than 500 cases of illegal fishing and we apprehended a lot of big fishing vessels. In these cases, the big penalty is (can be) the confiscation of their vessel,” said Dr Jantrarotai.

Greenpeace warns that Thailand’s marine ecosystem is on the verge of collapse, threatening the livelihoods of millions of traditional fishermen as well as the larger fisheries.

It has demanded that officials investigate instances of unreported and unregulated fishing and says if the government fails to act, it will have a major political crisis as well as an environmental disaster on its hands.

Regional News

Thai Immigration Police Detain Over 26,000 Illegal Migrant Workers

Thailand’s Immigration Police have detained approximately 26,000 illegal migrant workers from Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia during an eight-day operation in Bangkok and surrounding regions, according to a Royal Thai Police spokesperson.

Mr Adisorn Keudmeuangkhon of the Bangkok-based Migrant Working Group said the drive was in response to an increasing number of concerns about an influx of illegal migrant labor.

“Some Thai people see that many illegal workers are competing for their job positions in the past few months,” he told me. “That’s why the ministry has to take tougher action.”

Civil strife in Myanmar and the recent implementation of a military conscription have driven thousands of Burmese into Thailand, while severe inflation and limited job opportunities in Laos have also encouraged an influx of workers from that country.

Between June 5 and 12, officials detained and checked 20,111 Myanmar laborers, 1,659 Laotian migrant workers, and 3,971 Cambodian workers, according to the Ministry of Labor.

It marked the start of a 120-day campaign to audit workplaces and arrest unlawful migrant workers, according to the government.

Migrant Workers to be Deported

According to Keudmeuangkhon, undocumented workers face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 Thai baht (US $136 to $1,365), deportation, and a two-year prohibition on re-entering Thailand.

Authorities did not intend to file criminal charges, he claimed.

Authorities raided 1,774 workplaces, according to Moe Gyo, chairman of the Joint Action Committee on Burmese Affairs, which advocates for Myanmar labor rights.

He stated that since the military junta activated conscription, there has been an upsurge in the number of arrests of Myanmar citizens in Thailand who do not have a work permit identity card.

All men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 must serve in the military for at least two years. The first group of 5,000 conscripts summoned by Myanmar’s junta will start duty at the end of this month, military sources told AFP on Monday.

According to Keudmeuangkhon, the bulk of Lao migrant workers in Thailand work as fresh market shopkeepers, restaurant servers, and mall salespeople.

Most people visit Thailand as part of ASEAN’s visa-free policy for tourists, but they stay longer than the 30-day restriction once they find job.

“Employers like to hire Lao migrant workers in the service sector because they can speak fluent Thai,” he told me.

Immigration Police Detain Illegal Migrant Workers

The Thai Cabinet may approve an enhanced program for Thai employers to register their unauthorized foreign workers in July or August. Keudmeuangkhon explained.

Last month, the Thai Ministry of Labor’s Foreign Workers Administration office announced that 268,465 Lao migrant workers were officially working in Thailand.

Baykham Kattiya, Lao Minister of Labor, told Radio Free Asia earlier this month that there are 415,956 migrant workers in other nations, the majority of whom work in Thailand.

According to her, the Lao government believes that over 203,000 persons working outside of the nation lack proper work documents.

However, a Lao official familiar with the labor industry informed Radio Free Asia, a BenarNews-affiliated news station, on June 20 that the number of illegal Lao migrant workers in Thailand and abroad is likely significantly greater.

“They go to other countries as illegal migrant workers through different types of methods – as tourists or students,” said the politician. “Thus, it is hard for the immigration police to collect data on these people.”

Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers

Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers

News

High School Student Dies After Being Electrocuted By School Water Dispenser

14-year-old boy was electrocuted by a water dispenser: File Image

Thailand’s Office of Basic Education Commission has initiated an investigation into the electrocution of a 14-year-old student by a water dispenser in a high school. The event happened at noon on Friday, during the high school’s sports day. The victim was a Grade 8 student.

According to local media in Trang Province, the incident occurred when a teacher instructed the pupil to turn off a water dispenser amid a heavy rain.

According to a witness, the child collapsed while strolling with his friend near a water station. The friend claimed he attempted to assist but was also shocked by electricity.

According to reports, the friend then recovered, left the site, and requested assistance from teachers. A teacher ran to the scene and used a towel to pull the boy away by the ankle. He was taken to the hospital, but it was too late, they claimed.

The event sparked criticism from parents and netizens over school safety, as well as the slow response to aid the young youngster.

Mr. Chainarong Changrua, head of Trang-Krabi’s Secondary Educational Service Area Office, told local media on Sunday that forensic officers from Trang Provincial Police had visited the area. They discovered the blown breaker switch behind the water dispenser, he explained.

The breaker was burned out, thus the authorities assumed the disaster was caused by a short circuit that allowed energy to spill to a neighboring power pole. The student also appeared wet and was not wearing shoes when electrocuted.

According to the Office of Basic Education Commission, a probe team will complete its investigation this week.

The student’s father, Mr Pornchai Thepsuwan, 53, claimed he was saddened when he saw his son’s body. The boy (Wayu), was the youngest of two boys, he explained. He stated that following the tragedy, the school director and staff gave financial assistance to the families.

Mr Pornchai also said he would not seek charges against the institution because he believed it was an accident.

Electrical accidents in Thailand

Electrocution instances in Thailand have increased alarmingly in recent years. Many mishaps occur as a result of improper wiring and inadequate maintenance of electrical systems.

Public locations, such as schools and markets, frequently lack adequate safety precautions, putting individuals in danger. In rural areas, antiquated infrastructure exacerbates the situation, resulting in more frequent and serious events.

Although several high-profile cases have brought these challenges to light, genuine progress has been gradual. Furthermore, the rainy season heightens the likelihood of electrical accidents, as water and exposed wires do not mix well.

The government has made steps to strengthen safety standards, but enforcement is patchy. More education on electrical safety could help to reduce these accidents.

Unfortunately, better infrastructure and tougher rules may have prevented many of these incidents. The loss and injuries caused by electrocution are avoidable, emphasizing the need for immediate action.

Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand

Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand

News

Thailand’s Tourist Police Crackdown on Tourist Scammers in Pattaya

Tourist Police Pattaya: File Image

Thailand’s Tourist Police said it is collaborating with embassies from five countries to combat tourist scams and ten criminal gangs in Pattaya. The Tourist Police Bureau, convened a meeting on Thursday Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am told a press briefing.

Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am, the Tourist Police bureau commissioner said the participants included ambassadors from South Korea, Ukraine, Russia, India, and Switzerland.

He told the briefing the he had ordered a crackdown on tourist frauds, such as fraudulent or low-quality tour operators and unfair sales of goods and services. Stepped-up operations began on June 19 and will continue until June 25.

He stated that the agency was working with numerous organisations to increase tourists’ confidence in visiting Pattaya.

Gen Saksira spent time on the famed Walking Street speaking with officers on duty and assigned them to seek for members of ten criminal groups known to operate in Pattaya.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will visit Chon Buri on Saturday to assess the tourism situation. He intends to visit the site of a future Formula One racecourse near Khao Phra Tamnak in Bang Lamung District.

Prime Minister Srettha recently met with Formula One organisers in Italy to examine the potential of including Thailand on the race schedule in the future.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister will pay a visit to Rayong’s U-tapao airport to discuss development on the airport’s land, with the goal of encouraging investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor.

Police Chief Reinstated

In other police news, Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol has been reinstated as national police chief following the conclusion of an investigation into a highly publicised quarrel, according to Wissanu Krea-ngam, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s counsellor.

Mr Wissanu released the investigation’s findings on Thursday, after the prime minister formed a fact-finding committee chaired by Chatchai Promlert to investigate into the quarrel between Pol Gen Torsak and his deputy, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn.

The four-month study revealed conflicts and disorder at all levels of the Royal Thai Police, but it was unclear whether these issues arose from a single cause or several causes, according to Mr Wissanu.

The findings revealed that both Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate were involved, with each team contributing to the tensions, he noted.

Mr Wissanu indicated that Pol Gen Surachate was reinstated as deputy national police head on 18 April following his relocation to the Prime Minister’s Office on 20 March. A disciplinary committee was formed to investigate Pol Gen Surachate, and he was ordered temporarily suspended from the police force.

Because there were no further difficulties to explore, it was decided to restore Pol Gen Torsak. He plans to retire on September 30.

On March 20, Mr Srettha abruptly transferred both top police officers to the Prime Minister’s Office in an effort to address the growing schism within the police service.

Kitrat Panphet, Deputy National Police Chief, was subsequently named Acting Police Chief. According to sources, Pol Gen Surachate could face money laundering charges related to online gaming networks.

Source: Bangkok Post