Thailand explains fishing issue to EU

BANGKOK, Jan 24 (TNA) -- Deputy Prime Minister Chatchai Sarikulya said the Foreign Ministry sent its written explanation to the European Union after Human Rights Watch asked the EU to ban Thai fishing products. In response to Human Rights Watch’s allegation that the Thai government has not solved human trafficking at its root cause, Gen Chatchai said the Foreign Ministry already sent the explanation and as far as he was concerned, the EU separated illegal fishing issues from labour issues. Gen Chatchai also said that solutions to migrant workers’ problems and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing made much progress in Thailand. All solutions will be completed within March and the Thai government would inform the EU of that. “Regarding the movement of Human Rights Watch that is an independent organisation, I do not want it to be a political issue or an attempt to use lobbyists to discredit the junta’s government. I would like the focus to shift to the considerable development of the solutions in Thailand,” Gen Chatchai said. (TNA)