August 3, 2026, at 10:30 hours – Mr. Julapun Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, received H.E. Mrs Luisa Ragher, Ambassador of the European Union to Thailand, and a delegation of EU representatives, who called on him to offer congratulations on his appointment, as well as to exchange information on progress and cooperation on the issue of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, and the protection of labour rights in the fisheries sector. Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Somchai Morakotsriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, Mr. Saksilp Tulathon, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, Mrs. Niyada Saneemanomai, Deputy Secretary-General of the Social Security Office, Mr. Sakdinart Sontisakyothin, Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of Labour, and Ms. Thidarath Yingcharoen, Advisor to the Labour Minister joined in welcoming the delegation at the Jatumongkol Room, 6th Floor, Ministry of Labour Building.
Mr. Julapun disclosed that the Ministry of Labour treats IUU Fishing as a matter of fundamental rights and dignity for every worker aboard fishing vessels. Thailand has been conducting continuous and rigorous labour inspection and protection through the Port In Port Out Control Centre (PIPO) and Forward Fishing Vessel Inspection Points (FIP) across 21 coastal provinces, operating as “multi-disciplinary teams” in conjunction with relevant agencies. Language coordinators (interpreters in English, Burmese, and Khmer) have also been engaged to ensure that worker screening interviews are conducted efficiently, transparently, and correctly. As a result of these determined efforts, the number of non-compliant fishing vessels has declined markedly, from 544 vessels in fiscal year 2018 to just 7 in fiscal year 2026, with all cases prosecuted strictly in accordance with the law. Thailand has also placed great importance on labour protection inspections at sea and on rigorous inspections of aquatic product processing establishments throughout the supply chain.
Mr. Julapun added that Thailand does not view the lifting of the EU yellow card in 2019 as an endpoint, but as the baseline from which to elevate Thai fishing labour standards to an internationally recognised level and serve as a global model. He expressed his appreciation to the European Union for its consistent support, including support for the Ship to Shore Rights Southeast Asia project in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), and for the EU’s support of Thailand’s accession to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Beyond the issue of fisheries labour and ILO Convention No. 188, Thailand remains committed to advancing the ratification of other ILO conventions, such as Convention C155 on Occupational Safety and Health, as well as the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for preliminary screening to prevent forced labour and labour trafficking, and the development of the A-LAT (Anti-Labour Trafficking) information technology system for case management. Thailand welcomes recommendations and technical support from the European Union to further align Thai labour standards with international norms.
On this occasion, the Minister of Labour extended an invitation to the EU Ambassador and delegation to attend the 29th ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Meeting (29th ALMM), which Thailand will host in Bangkok between August 23–28, 2026. He also presented the EU Ambassador with a commemorative gift: an ornamental peacock crafted from palm leaves by insured persons undergoing rehabilitation at the Workers’ Rehabilitation Centre of the Social Security Office.
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