BANGKOK, Dec 17 – Thousands of Thai fishermen hold a rally outside the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in protest against the government’s stringent regulations that affect their livelihood.
An estimated 8,000 fishing trawler operators, crew and laborers from 22 coastal provinces gathered to demand government response to their 11-point demand submitted earlier to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The group led by the National Fisheries Association of Thailand (NFAT) said they wanted to hand a letter directly to Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on.
But Chalermchai who earlier promised to help address the labour shortage and debt issues in the fishing industry did not meet the protesters.
The fishermen have threatened to intensify their planned one-month-long protest if the government does not act to meet their demands. They have called on the government to ease fishing restrictions, address labour shortages and their mounting debt problems.
For years, the government has introduced new regulations and strict law enforcement to stamp out human trafficking and IUU problems in the fishery industry.
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