No irregularities were found during the course of the officials’ inspections.
At 3:30pm yesterday (July 24), Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office Chief Kowit Kao-ian assigned Paisarn Sukpunwan, head of the Administration Department at the Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office to inspect fishing boats at Rassada Pier for any irregularities including illegal employment, working conditions and human trafficking.
Joining Mr Paisarn for the inspection were officials from the Phuket Labour Protection and Welfare Office, Phuket Employment Office, Phuket Social Development and Human Security Office, Phuket Immigration Office, Phuket Marine Office, Phuket Public Health Office, Police Region 8, and the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO or OrBorJor).
A boat from the Krabi Marine Fisheries Suppression and Protection Centre also joined the operation.
During the inspection officials carried out checks on three fishing vessels, the first, Siri Namchok 8 was found to have 30 workers on board; three from Thailand, 26 from Myanmar, and one from Cambodia. No irregularities were found.
Officials then checked the Chok Kanjana 95 which had 33 workers on board; four from Thailand and 29 from Myanmar. No irregularities were found.
The last vessel to be inspected was the Sor Eakwaraporn 3 which also had 33 workers on board; two from Thailand and 31 from Myanmar. Again, mo irregularities were found.
During the course of their inspections, officials also conducted random interviews on the boats’ workers and found that all had gone to work in the fishing industry voluntarily.