Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday vowed there would be no complacency in the fight against illegal fishing practices that prompted the European Union to threaten a ban on seafood imports.
''My government has no excuse and will not sit on this problem,'' Post Today quoted the prime minister as saying after he returned from the Asian-African Conference in Jakarta.
Gen Prayut spoke on the issue for the first time after Brussels formally informed the country on Tuesday about its decision to issue the kingdom a "yellow card" due to inadequate action to end what the EU terms ''illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing".
Thailand has been given six months to enact "a corrective tailor-made action plan" or risk an EU trade ban that could cost the country more than 21 billion baht.
The prime minister urged cooperation from the private sector to resolve the issues identified by the EU and warned illegal operators of the consequences.
''As I have said before, those violating the law will no longer have a place to stand in our society,'' he said shortly after arriving in Bangkok.
Demands from Brussels include improvements on laws and regulations to cope with illegal fishing, a better monitoring system for boats, and measures to track down the source of seafood products.
The EU has taken a stand against all fisheries products resulting from illegal practices, including the use of forced labour and methods which damage the environment.
A vendor prepares fresh fish for sale at the Mahachai seafood market in Samut Sakhon province on Thursday. (EPA photo)
Thailand's efforts in all those areas failed to impress EU officials in their latest evaluation in October, leading to Tuesday's decision by Brussels to send Thailand a stern warning.
The prime minister admitted he had received a report from the EU about plans to issue Thailand the "yellow card" before it was made official.
The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said Thailand was ''deeply disappointed'' by the EU decision.
The EU's threat to ban fisheries products from Thailand prompted the government to call an urgent meeting of all agencies responsible for the lucrative sector with Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan as chairman today.
Gen Prawit said after the meeting that officials were directed to report back in a month with a clear plan to correct the problems highlighted by Brussels.
Proposals include the installation of tracking equipment on all vessels in the next three months; the establishment of a task force in 22 coastal provinces to monitor every step in the seafood-processing chain, from trawlers to factories; amendment of laws and regulations in three months; and the registration of all fishing boats.
Deputy government spokesman Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkumnerd said the Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Ministry was assigned to work on an action plan that will be forwarded to the cabinet in the next two weeks.
Environmental-activist group Greenpeace on Thursday called the EU a wake-up call for Thailand to seriously tackle illegal fishing and urged the government to use the opportunity to ban all fishing methods that damage the marine ecosystem and end illegal fishing.
Thailand is among 18 countries that have received yellow cards from the EU. Europe is a main destination for Thai seafood exports. The country shipped fisheries products worth 20 billion baht to the European market last year, according to the EU.