BANGKOK: Thailand said recently seafood exports to the United States, Europe and Australia have not been hit by reports of slavery and forced labour by campaign groups and media.
The comments come as Thailand, the world’s third-largest seafood exporter, faces increasing pressure to crack down on illegal fishing or face the risk of bans on its fish exports and to investigate accusations of slavery in its seafood industry.
Thailand has come under fire from rights groups over allegations of trafficking, abuse and exploitation on its fishing boats, following investigations by media and campaign groups.
“Australia’s seafood importers told us that even though there are problems they would continue buying seafood because Thailand is trying to really resolve the human trafficking problem,” Songsak Saicheua, head of the foreign ministry’s Department of American and South Pacific Affairs, told reporters.
The government had checked more than 100 seafood processing plants and shut down one since April, he said. “America, Europe and Australia have confidence in importing frozen seafood from us,” Songsak said.
