Thailand's Labor Minister signed an MOU with 12 organizations to eliminate child and forced labor in key exports including shrimp, fish, sugarcane, and garments, aiming to remove Thai products from US watchlists and achieve Tier 1 status in trafficking reports.

BANGKOK, May 26 - Thailand's Labor Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn led the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 12 government and private sector organizations to prevent child and forced labor in key export commodities including shrimp, fish, sugarcane, garments, and downstream products (fishmeal, fish oil, and animal feed). The agreement aims to enhance labor rights protection, build confidence among trading partners, and remove Thai products from the United States' watchlist.

The Minister emphasized Thailand's commitment to equal protection for all workers, regardless of nationality, stating that child and forced labor issues impact not only human rights but also the country's economy and international trade opportunities, particularly with the US and European Union.

The Ministry announced nine key policies: establishing 30 foreign worker service centers nationwide; conducting proactive inspections in high-risk sectors like fisheries and export factories; promoting Good Labour Practices (GLP) standards; collaborating with NGOs and civil society networks; transparently communicating policies internationally; appointing liaison officers for migrant workers; raising human rights awareness among employers and employees; promoting self-reporting systems for businesses; and developing specialized labor inspectors.

Minister Pipat highlighted Thailand's progress, noting that Thai shrimp was removed from the US watchlist last year, demonstrating concrete improvements. He expressed optimism that continued cooperation could elevate Thailand to Tier 1 status in the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

The agreement targets removing Thai products from the US Trade and Development Act (TVPRA) List and Executive Order (EO) List, which identify goods suspected of being produced using child or forced labor. These products appear on lists maintained by the US Department of Labor, potentially affecting Thailand's trade opportunities and international reputation.

Director-General Saroj Komkai of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare noted that this MOU expands previous cooperation established with 13 agencies in 2021. The 12 signatory organizations include various government departments, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Thai Industries, and industry associations representing fisheries, animal feed, tuna, frozen food, and sugar sectors.

The signing ceremony also featured a panel discussion on "Eliminating Child and Forced Labor towards Sustainable Thai Economic Opportunities" and exhibitions from related agencies, demonstrating Thailand's comprehensive approach to addressing labor rights issues in its export industries.