Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged to tackle problems facing the fisheries industry, following his visit to Samut Songkhram province to meet groups of fishermen from various provinces and discuss ways to help ease their problems.

Representatives of the National Fisheries Association of Thailand called on the new government to revise laws to minimize the effects of restrictions imposed to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

They stated that the laws that created difficulties for fishermen should be submitted to Parliament for consideration immediately after the government assumes office.

The Prime Minister said that a committee, headed by the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, would be formed to look into law amendments concerning fisheries, and people involved would be invited to discuss the issue together.

He said that his Pheu Thai-led government placed a top priority on the tackling of problems in the fisheries sector and labor-related issues. Previously, the Prime Minister said that after he had been appointed prime minister, he traveled to listen to the problems concerning the tourism industry. 

He said that the second issue that he looked into was debt problems. The third issue involved problems in the fisheries sector. The Prime Minister emphasized that he would ease difficulties faced by the people as soon as possible.