Manning fishing boats with prisoners invites further abuse, activists warn

In a bid to help reduce human trafficking in the fishing industry and overcrowding in Thai prisons, the government has proposed allowing eligible prisoners to work on fishing boats, an idea which raised red flags Sunday among human rights watchdogs.

Intended to ease labor issues on a key industry that has seen damning revelations about the use of slave labor this year, the program would allow eligible prisoners – those deemed low risk, physically fit and close to release – to participate in the labor program on a volunteer basis.

Top justice official Chatchawal Sumsomjit said the program is ready to be implemented and has the support of both the justice and labor ministries.

Chatchawal said inmates would not be compelled to work on the boats and could seek other jobs. Discussion are underway with executives at industrial estates about joining the program, which in theory could create choices for participating prison-laborers to work on land.

While the program was warmly received by officials, not to mention the fishing industry, others said there’s too much opportunity for abuse.

“Even though participation in the program is voluntary, I don’t think prisoners have real choices – when they have to choose between jail or work on a fishing boat,” human rights lawyer Surapong Kongchanthuek told the Bangkok Post.

Others, such as Action Network for Migrants representative Sathian Thanprom, questioned how the prisoners would be protected from occupational risks and how the monitoring process would work after they ship out.

About 320,000 people are incarcerated in Thailand’s 143 prisons.

Despite recent accounts from victims of slavery in the fishing industry, Phubet Chanthanimi, chairman of the Fishing Association of Thailand, asserted that working conditions on fishing trawlers aren’t so bad and operators must ahere to strict rules.

“It is something we should support. We give migrant workers with no papers or identification the chance to work. The inmates deserve it too,” Phubet said.

Photo: Roberto Trm

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