Phuket warned human-trafficking record may result in European ban on seafood

PHUKET: Any deterioration in Thailand’s human-trafficking record may lead to a European ban on importing seafood from the Kingdom, Phuket Marine Police were warned yesterday.

The message was delivered at a seminar intended to remind local Marine Police and those involved in Phuket’s fishing industry of the legal obligations to be upheld regarding human trafficking.

The seminar, headed by visiting senior prosecutor Kittipong Teeranatthapong, was held at the Phuket Marine Police Station in Phuket Town.

“The European Union has an index for nations whose fishing industries are corrupted by human trafficking. Under the system, Q1 is Good, Q2 is Medium and Q3 is Bad,” Marine Police Region 8 Deputy Superintendent Lt Col Prasert Srikunrat explained to his officers.

“Right now Thailand qualifies as -Q2, but that might drop to Q3 in the future. That will affect our fishing product exports because Europe will say no to them if the situation worsens,” he said.

“We want the European Union to have more confidence in Thailand, so we have to raise our standards and really prove that we take a strong line against human trafficking,” Col Prasert added.

“We want to make sure that Phuket does not have any human trafficking corrupting the fishing industry here,” he affirmed.

— Saran Mitrarat