Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has used Section 44 of the interim constitution to set up a fishery command centre to tackle illegal fishing and upgrade the fishing industry to meet international standards.
Gen Prayut, head of the National Council for Peace and Order, issued an NCPO order to set up the ad-hoc command centre to attack the long-standing illegal fishing problem. The centre, headed by the navy chief, will directly report to the prime minister.
The move comes after the European Union (EU) last week issued a final warning, a so-called "yellow card", giving Thailand six months to drastically improve its measures to combat illegal fishing or face an import ban on its fish products.
Under the NCPO order, the command centre is given absolute power to control and supervise fishing services and the management of labourers in the industry.
The centre is tasked with issuing orders and regulations regarding the registration of fishing vessels, the departure and arrival of fishing vessels at ports and installation of tracking devices on vessels. The centre also has the authority to ban vessels from fishing in other countries' waters.
The NCPO order takes effect on May 1 and requires the command centre to set up a national policy committee to tackle human trafficking and illegal fishing in accordance with the PM’s order issued on Feb 17.
Section 44 of the interim charter gives the NCPO chief special powers to intervene in all national administration, judicial and legal areas.
