Ministry insists prisoner fishing plan only an ‘idea’

The Foreign Ministry has insisted recruiting Thai prisoners to work in the fishing industry will not go ahead, saying it was just an idea that was discussed among related agencies.

The ministry’s spokesman Sek Wannamethee said the idea was raised at a roundtable discussion involving NGOs, the private sector, and civil servants, but the idea was scrapped following discussions with parties involved, especially the fishing industry.

“The idea is part of the ‘Returning good people to society’ project organised by the Labour Ministry in order to bring normal lives back to prisoners through career development training,” said Mr Sek. In addition, he reaffirmed that Thailand values the importance of human rights as well as its international commitment to improving the country’s human rights record.

“The Foreign Ministry will send letters of explanation to all organisations which submitted a letter to the premier, aiming to promote a better understanding on this issue, he said.

Mr Sek’s comments came after a group of human rights activists and trade union bodies submitted a letter calling on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to call off the project.

The Labour Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, Arak Bhramanee, on Thursday explained that the recruitment of prisoners to fill the labour shortage in the fishing industry was an idea to provide job opportunities to all groups, not only inmates. He said working in the fishing industry was among one of the proposed occupations for prisoners who have nearly finished their sentences.