Thailand in partnership with SeaWeb will host the SeaWeb Seafood Summit 2019 during 11 - 13 June 2019 in Bangkok. The Summit will be a platform for sharing experiences in the sustainable seafood industry among relevant agencies including representatives from the public sector, private sector, academia, civil society, and media from around the world to promote best practices for sustainable fishery.

            Thailand has exerted strenuous and continuous efforts to reform the fisheries sector since 2015, with emphasis placed on comprehensively eliminating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This has resulted in the concrete progress that could serve as a good model for sustainable fisheries for the region. Thus, Thailand is ready to share the lessons it has learned with other interested countries and organisations.

                 At the SeaWeb Seafood Summit 2018 held during 18 - 21 June 2018 in Barcelona, Spain, Thailand was represented by a delegation led by Mr. Adisorn Promthep, Director-General of the Department of Fisheries, who also took part in the seminar arranged by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), under the title “Environmental and Ethical Sustainability through Transparency, Traceability and Accountability” on 20 June 2018. On that occasion, Thailand presented its fisheries reformation success stories, particularly the development of the traceability system to control catches and trace fisheries products throughout the entire production chain, as well as the enforcement of strict labour inspections conducted at port, at sea, and at processing plants. At the seminar, Mr. Steve Trent, Executive Director of EJF, also expressed his admiration for Thailand’s progress in the fight against the IUU fishing.

          Moreover, the Summit also hosted the presentation of Seafood Champion awards recognising individuals and agencies for their outstanding performances in promoting environmentally responsible seafood industry. This year, Ms. Patima Tungpuchayakul, co-founder of the Labour Rights Promotion Network (LPN) was awarded the Seafood Champion in the area of Advocacy for her dedication to protecting the rights of Thai and migrant workers in the fishing industry. Her work is an example of the active role of the civil society which contributes to the crucial partnership with the Royal Thai Government in fulfilling our national agenda to eliminate human trafficking and forced labour. Moreover, Thailand is the first country in Asia that has deposited the instrument of ratification for the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention 1930 on 4 June 2018. The domestic legislation to be in line with the Protocol is currently in the process of finalisation.