Bangkok: The Thai Shrimp Association has expressed its commendation towards the government's decision to escalate the ongoing shrimp import issue with Malaysia to a government-to-government (G2G) negotiation level. This comes after Malaysia indefinitely postponed its meetings with the Thai Department of Fisheries and the Ministry of Agriculture, initially scheduled for June 8th and 9th, respectively, which were intended to address the suspension of imports of five Thai shrimp species.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Ekaphon Yodpinit, President of the Thai Shrimp Association, emphasized the necessity of involving government mechanisms to address the matter, as the postponements indicate that departmental-level negotiations are insufficient. He praised Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Ms. Supajee Suthamphan, for her readiness to escalate the issue to discussions at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and ASEAN. Additionally, Ms. Supajee is focusing on measures to aid affected farmers and businesses by linking markets, finding alternative export destinations, and promoting domestic consumption to alleviate the ongoing impact.
Mr. Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, has expressed his willingness to utilize ministerial-level channels to negotiate directly with Malaysian counterparts if departmental discussions fail. He is prepared to engage with the Malaysian Minister of Agriculture and Food Security and visit Malaysia for direct talks, aiming for a mutually beneficial resolution.
Moreover, Mr. Ekaphon agreed with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives' review of measures concerning the inspection of sea bass imports from Malaysia. He suggested that reducing inspection times and expanding laboratory certification options would speed up processes while ensuring food safety standards are upheld in both Thailand and Malaysia.
On June 9th, the Thai Shrimp Association, along with stakeholders from the production sector, will meet with Mr. Watcharaphol Khaokham, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, to propose urgent solutions. The association plans to request both Thailand and Malaysia to relax or extend the enforcement of current inspection measures during negotiations to lessen the burden on businesses and farmers.
The association is advocating for Thailand's Department of Fisheries to enhance inspection and certification processes to avoid being perceived as trade barriers. Simultaneously, it is urging Malaysia to reconsider the shrimp import ban to ease the economic strain on both Thai and Malaysian farmers and businesses.
Mr. Ekaphon concluded, "Today, we are beginning to see that the government is stepping up the problem-solving process, both in terms of international negotiations and assisting those affected domestically. This is the direction the association believes is correct because this problem affects the entire industrial chain, and the faster it is resolved, the less damage will be done."