INDUSTRIES READY TO STAND IN DEFENCE AGAINST UP CHARGES

       Three Thai industries-shrimp, garment and sugar-may face difficulties in exports to the US next year due to accusations of hiring child and migrant labour.
       Kessiri Siripakorn, minister (commercial) for the Office of Commercial Affairs in Washington DC, said the US Labour Department had issued an announcement against the industries.
       "Thai industries will have 90 days, until the middle of December, to clarify about the accusations. If they may be subjected to trade barriers," said Kessiri.
       She called for the government and related industries to discuss the matter and present clear evidence to defend their industries.
       Kessiri warned that under the Barack Obama administration, all industries must be aware of new non-tariff barriers,particularly ones focusing on labour and environment.
       Thai manufacturers would face greater difficulties in exporting if they do not promptly deal with rising non-tariff barriers, she said.
       Poj Aramwattananont, president of Thai Frozen Foods Association, said the US government report was untrue and the association had already presented evidence to the US Embassy in Bangkok.
       The association will also present evidence regarding the matter to Washington as the association has frequently worked in cooperation with Immigration Custom Enforcement for inspecting all factories and their suppliers to ensure they have not hired any child or migrant labour in the industry.
       So far, more than 1,000 factories have been investigated. The industry employs more than a million people. We are confident no child or migrant labour was hired in our industry, Poj said.
       To ensure that the shrimp and other industries will not face any obstacles resulting from the report, the association will soon meet the Foreign Ministry and related Thai government agencies to clarify the issue to the US government.
       Wallop Vitanakorn, secretarygeneral of the Thai Garment Manufacturers Association, said the US report must have been the result of a misunderstanding.
       He said most garment exporters to the US must normally comply with high standards required by their importers, including labour issues.
       Export of garments to the US must follow a "code of conduct" which specifies that no migrant labour of child labour must be hired in the industry. Moreover, under the agreement between Thai garment manufacturers and American buyers, it states that employers must have a fair contract with labourers, including restricting maximum period of work to 60 hours a week, and set a fair payment and days off, as per the law.
       Wallop said American buyers also regularly send teams to inspect their factories every six months to ensure the producers had followed the code of conduct.
       He said it was impossible for garment exporters to break this tight rule. The association will soon cooperate with the Thai government and collect information to defend against this accusation.

       Under the Barack Obama administration, all industries must be aware of new nontariff barriers, particularly ones focusing on labour and environment.