Migrant labour may get longer permits
The government is considering extending the work permits of 11,000 migrant workers working in Thailand’s fishing industry as it prepares to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with neighbouring countries to recruit more workers, the Labour Ministry said yesterday.
Labour Minister Pol Gen Adul Sangsingkeo said Thailand still needs around 53,000 migrant workers in the fishing industry.
The 11,000 migrant workers working in the industry now hold work permits which are due to expire between Aug 20 and Sept 30. Extending their work permits would permit them to renew their visas for an additional one or two years, he said.
As for the other 42,000 migrants, the government is preparing to sign a new MoU with Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in hope of recruiting more migrant workers to Thailand, he said.
He was speaking after a meeting of a committee looking at solutions to labour shortages in the fishing industry.
“Final details of these measures should be known in a week,” he said. “Reasonable privileges will certainly be offered to those responding to the government’s policy to ensuring migrant workers are well cared for.”
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha admitted that even with existing agreements in place with the four countries, finding workers for the industry was still difficult as most people in this business realise working on a fishing vessel is a tough job.
As for the conflict surrounding the government’s plan to ratify the Work in Fishing Convention (2007), or C 188, Pol Gen Adul said public hearings were being conducted to gather opinions about the convention.
The government is proceeding with this matter while listening to opinions by those supporting the convention and the fishing sector which will be negatively affected by it.
The C 188 convention was adopted at the 96th International Labour Conference (ILC) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2007.
The objectives of the convention were to ensure that fishermen enjoy decent working conditions when aboard fishing vessels, with a special focus on the minimum acceptable conditions.
Other aims include acceptable conditions of service; accommodation and food; occupational safety and health protection; and medical care and social security. This applies to all crew members and vessels engaged in commercial fishing operations.
The convention, however, has been opposed by trade groups in Thailand.
On Aug 1, fisheries organisations in 22 provinces submitted to Gen Prayut letters of objection to the government’s plan to ratify the convention. The letters were submitted through provincial governors and were joined with the threat of a massive strike if the government fails to resolve this problem.
Chit Sriklam, deputy president of the fishing association of Pattani, described the C 188 ratification issue as the last straw. He said if adopted it would require strict measures including that a fishing vessel with more than four crew members have a proper toilet and berth area.