On 18 July 2018, the European Parliament’s Sub-committee on Human Rights (DROI) led by Mr. Pier Antionio Panzeri, Chair of DROI, paid a courtesy call on Police General Adul Sangsingkaew, Minister of Labour of the Kingdom of Thailand, to discuss the labour situation in Thailand, as well as the management of migrant workers, labour standards promotion, and the progress in tackling labour problems in the fisheries sector.

          The Minister of Labour updated the delegation on the status of the registration of migrant workers nationwide which resulted in 1.18 million workers being registered, accounting for 90 percent of all migrant workers. These registered workers will be entitled to legal protection from abuse or forced labour by employers. Their wages will be paid according to their contracts, especially those working in the fisheries sector which, as stipulated by the law, will be paid through the banking system. 

          The Minister further emphasized that Thailand has imposed stricter labour inspection measures at the Port-in Port-out (PIPO) Centers and also at sea which are conducted by the interdisciplinary teams. The labour inspectors will immediately report to the police if any evidence of the use of child labour under 18 of age or human trafficking is found. The penalty for the use of child labour in the fisheries sector shall not be lower than 2 years of imprisonment per child violated, and for human trafficking cases, the confiscation of assets and imprisonment of more than 10 years are also applicable.

          The DROI delegation was pleased with the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s report which found the case of child labour at the rate less than one percent. This demonstrates a dramatic improvement of the situation of labour in the fisheries sector and expressed their support for Thailand to ratify the relevant ILO Conventions. The Minister emphasized Thailand’s readiness to receive recommendations from all sides in order to push the reform of the labour sector forward.

           The delegation also visited the PIPO Center in Samut Sakhon Province, and received a briefing on the conduct of vessel and labour inspections by the Center officials. The inspections include checking necessary documents such as work contracts, employees’ registry, records of wage payment through the banking system, and records of provision of leisure time, inspection of living and working conditions on board, monitoring and screening for such cases as rights violations, physical abuse, child labour, and forced labour by specifically trained officials. Moreover, the delegation witnessed the operation of the labour inspectors at the port and on a vessel, in line with the Regulation of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare on Labour Inspection and Criminal Proceedings, which has been enforced since 26 June 2018. The regulation provides clear procedures for inspection and prosecution when an offense is found, resulting in an improved standard of inspection practices. On this occasion, the delegation also observed the use of facial recognition scanning technology and the conduct of random interviews of the workers in a separate room.

          The DROI delegation was of the view that fisheries labour situation in Thailand has clearly improved. The delegation acknowledged the Royal Thai Government’s commitment as can be witnessed by the Prime Minister’s visit to the PIPO center in Samut Sakhon Province early this year, the collaboration between Thailand and the ILO, the recent ratification of the Protocol to the ILO Convention on Forced Labour (P29) in June 2018, the preparation for ratifying the ILO Convention on Work in Fishing (C188), as well as the response to the Human Rights Watch reports by the Thai authorities. In this connection, the delegation also inquired on further aspects of the labour inspections, which Thai officials provided the details to demonstrate that Thailand has brought all the necessary measures into actual implementation.