The Thai seafood industry employs more than 800,000 people, while seafood exports are valued at $6 billion. Slavery, ‘pirate’ fishing and other serious crimes continue to plague Thailand’s seafood sector highlighting the shortcomings in private sector initiatives and government controls.
A growing number of independent reports over the past decade have documented abuses of workers trafficked on to Thai fishing vessels, including bonded, forced and slave labour and the use of extreme violence.
Thailand’s fish stocks and marine biodiversity are in crisis. The Thai fishing industry has undergone decades of overfishing and astonishingly poor fisheries management. Rapid industrialisation during the 20th Century has resulted in too many vessels using destructive and unsustainable fishing methods to catch too many fish
The lack of an adequate fisheries management regime and effective enforcement along with extensive corruption have facilitated overfishing in Thailand, which has generated economic pressures that fuel the ongoing, widespread use of slave labour.
This report builds on over three years of in-depth research and field investigations to first expose abuse and then critically assess claims that slavery and ‘pirate’ fishing in Thailand’s export-oriented seafood sector have been significantly reduced. By returning to Kantang, this report presents evidence that is broadly representative of trends across the country – namely the Government’s ongoing failure to address corruption and prosecute and convict those engaging in and benefiting from criminal activity. It offers recommendations to the The Royal Thai Government, producers, retailers and all business interests, and to consumers.