Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the European Union (EU) to renew
efforts to eliminate forced labour and other abusive treatment within
the Thai fishing industry, noting that a large number of workers were
from Cambodia and Myanmar.
In a letter to EU officials, dated July 5 but published on Monday,
HRW claimed that migrant workers were still falling into debt bondage
within the commercial fishing sector.
Delayed payment and salaries below the minimum wage were two issues highlighted in the document.
Its statement said HRW found that “captains compelled predominantly
Burmese [Myanmar] and Cambodian fishing workers to work overtime beyond
those set out in law . . . [owners] frequently paid fishing workers once
every six months – or in some cases once a year at subminimum wages”.
The report said ATM cards and bank books were frequently taken by
bosses in order to thwart Thai reforms requiring monthly direct
deposits.
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HRW regional director for Asia Brad Adams said: “The Thai
government’s reforms in the fishing industry still fall far short of
resolving serious labour rights abuses . . . the EU should use its
leverage as a major seafood importer to demand changes to the lives of
migrant fishing workers on Thai vessels.”
Government spokesman Phay Siphan, said the state was paying attention
to Cambodian workers in Thailand, citing a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) signed previously regarding the issue.
“We signed the MoU with the Thai government and also with the Thai fisheries association,” Sophan said.
“Cambodia is working with the Thai government . . . to help our legal
and illegal fishermen,” he said, adding that the Kingdom is pushing to
give undocumented workers the help they need to get the right papers.
A statement in May from the International Transport Workers’
Federation, which launched the Fishers’ Rights Network, said there were
“approximately 600,000 fishermen in Thailand”, predominantly from
Cambodia and Myanmar.
Source - PhnomPhenPost
