Fishery operators converged on the Labour Ministry Thursday to oppose a government plan to ratify the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) 2007 Work in Fishing Convention, also known as C188, which they said could hurt their businesses.
They also called on the prime minister to invoke Section 44 to stop the ratification.
According to them, there is a need to conduct an inclusive and thorough study on the impact of ratification.
The C188 is meant to ensure better working conditions for fishermen, but those in the fishing industry contend that the convention is impractical and expensive.
The convention contains 14 key requirements, which regulates the minimum age for workers, rest quarters, health checks, as well as working hours, and obliges employers to send crew members back to shore quickly in the case of ailments and/or accidents.
The protesters said they are not centred around a leader, and that their only demand is to meet Labour Minister Adul Sangsingkeo and ask him not to ratify C188, which is opposed by fishery associations in the coastal provinces.
According to them, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) gave the government the green light on Jan 15 to ratify the convention without taking into account the fact that the authorities have never conducted any hearings on the issue.
Pol Gen Adul and Jarin Chakkaphark, permanent secretary for labour, were not at the ministry, as they were travelling to Israel to visit Thai labourers and to hold talks with Israeli authorities about working conditions for Thai migrants there.
Meanwhile, senior ministry officials told the protesters that the ministry will hold a meeting next Wednesday to discuss the issue.
The meeting will be attended by officials from the Department of Fisheries, Marine Department as well as representatives of fishery associations from 22 coastal provinces, they said.
They also asked Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy commissioner Attawit Saiseub to coordinate with the Prime Minister's Office to send representatives to receive the group's petition against the ratification of C188.
The protesters said that they are aware that the government was set to ratify C188 early next year, but believe the administration should defer it, and take concrete steps to explain the convention's necessity among fishery operators.
The group's coordinator, Peerapat Theeranukoolchai, told Surasak Riangkrul, deputy permanent secretary to the PM's Office who visited the Labour Ministry, that the convention would impede fishery operators from running their business. "We are gathering to call on the government to back away from ratification," said Mr Peerapat.
Mr Surasak said he would gather the group's opinions to be presented to the prime minister for consideration. He also said that the government will try to come up with "the best solution" for all.
