Deputy Prime Minister Chatchai Sarikulya will meet officials after the Songkran holidays to address a fresh dispute over allegedly illegal fishing caused by trawlers whose ownership is unclear.
He said the problem will not affect the European Union's decision whether to lift a yellow card given to Thailand in 2015 to warn it against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, but the country needs to clarify the issue for the sake of sustainable fishing.
Gen Chatchai, who supervises legal measures to solve IUU, admitted the boats' unclear identities were unexpected given efforts to keep trawlers in line with laws.
Authorities earlier reported Thailand had sold "hundreds" of Thai-registered fishing boats abroad, but foreign officials argued they have evidence which indicates the numbers are actually just 29, Gen Chatchai said. "The EU wants us to show documents to confirm our sales," he said.
The discrepancy may lead to problems because the minister does not know whether the boats will return to fish in Thai waters, which are now strictly regulated. Quarrels over fishing without permission on maritime territories are likely if boat ownership cannot be correctly identified.
This issue is important to long-term fishing regulation because, under the sustainability concept, the number of vessels should be carefully controlled to prevent them from depleting marine resources, the deputy prime minister said.
The Fisheries Department announced in the Royal Gazette on April 9 that it had identified 161 trawlers as "not Thai-flagged fishing boats" which allegedly committed illegal fishing.
The announcement, seen by the Bangkok Post, shows most of the trawlers have Chinese names.
Except for the confusion in numbers, EU delegates did not express other serious worries during their one-week visit to Thailand, which ended last Wednesday.
"They were satisfied with the government's efforts," Gen Chatchai said, referring to an unofficial report.
Strict law enforcement imposed over the past six months to better regulate trawlers and fishermen are among measures appreciated by the EU officials, he said.
However, some rules, including those on working hours on trawlers which usually work around the clock, are viewed as unpractical and prompted many fishermen to call a strike.
The government is not turning a blind eye to their troubles, he said. Officials are holding talks with their representatives to solve the problem, Gen Chatchai said.
Yet he insisted officials will not become lenient towards any wrongdoing. Officials must keep an eye on illegal employment and migrant fishermen have been registered with the government to avoid labour exploitation, a problem that worries the EU and has long marred the government's efforts to stop human trafficking.
Foreign fishermen are among migrant workers required to report to the government to apply for licences.
More than 470,000 foreign workers have already logged their personal information with officials who allowed them to temporarily work until June 30 this year.
To get working licences, which will extend their stay in the country to March 31, 2020, they must follow additional requirements including having physical checks, permanent secretary for labour Jarin Jakkapak said.
Officials will open a one-stop service for health inspections and complete their immigration process on April 23 in 20 provinces which have many foreign workers.
The applicants must meet officials only by appointment. This new queue management is aimed to help officials finish the process by June, according to labour officials.
A number of the workers had their health checked earlier this year, according to the Public Health Ministry.
Workers who are found with severe symptoms of syphilis, tuberculosis during its transmission period, serious mental disorders and drug addiction will be deported back to their countries.
