Combatting Unacceptable Forms of Work in the Thai Fishing and Seafood Industry

Seafood exports in Thailand are a US$7 billion industry.1 A number of reports in recent years have shed light on the serious human and labour rights abuses committed in the Thai commercial fishing and seafood processing industries, particularly against men, women and children migrant workers coming from neighbouring Myanmar, Lao PDR and Cambodia. To respond to this critical situation, the proposed ''Combatting Unacceptable Forms of Work in the Thai Fishing and Seafood Industry'' project aims to reduce forced labour, child labour and other unacceptable forms of work, and progressively eliminate the exploitation of workers, particularly migrant workers, in these sectors, and thereby improve compliance with fundamental rights at work. Special attention will be given to tackling forced labour on board fishing vessels. This will be achieved by enhancing the effectiveness of the labour inspectorate by strengthening governance, systems, capacities, cooperation and transparency. The application of the law will be further advanced through applying pressure from retailers and buyers higher up the supply chain, and the empowerment of workers to exercise their rights. The project will contribute to efforts to better regulate the industry and manage migration, and will reduce employers’ reliance on unscrupulous labour recruiters and irregular migrants’ vulnerability. In addition, the children of migrant workers or unaccompanied child migrants will be better protected from labour exploitation.

Project symbol

THA/15/03/EUR

Admin unit

CO-Bangkok

Start date

01/02/2016

End date

31/03/2020

Total allocation

4269170

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

3905340

Development Partners

European Commission, Europe Aid

Country/Countries

Thailand

Outcomes

Outcome 7: Adequate and effective protection at work for all