US understands government determination to protect workers' rights: Thai Foreign Ministry

BANGKOK, Jan 16 (TNA) -- The US government understands the Thai government’s determination in improving and protecting workers’ rights to match with international standards, said a Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman on Saturday. The spokesman was referring to reports that a powerful American labour group submitted a complaint to the US Trade Representative (USTR), urging the USTR to suspend US Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) extended to Thailand because the Bangkok government is not properly safeguarding workers’ rights. Thai representatives from several agencies led by Thai ambassador to Washington Pisan Manapawat testified to the USTR officials in Washington on Thursday and, according to the ministry spokesman, the complaint lodged by the American labour group was submitted to the USTR in 2013. It is a normal procedure for the USTR to make an inquiry in the matter, said the spokesman, adding that the Washington government is aware that the Thai government is determined to increase workers’ rights in line with the international standards to enable Thai goods to be recognised as prime merchandise on a sustainable basis. The US has reiterated that it does not want to cut or suspend its GSP given to Thailand and wants to support Thailand on protecting Thai and foreign workers’ rights, the spokesman added. (TNA)