Escalating fuel prices have forced more than 40 percent of Thailand’s commercial fishing vessels to dock, with the National Fisheries Association of Thailand (NFAT) cautioning that the spike in overhead costs has rendered fishing trips financially unsustainable.
According to Pattaya Mail, NFAT President Trairerk Muesanthad warned that the Thai seafood market faces a potential supply failure if dockside prices do not rise to offset these costs, which could jeopardize the nation’s food security.
The sector is currently reeling from a sharp increase in fuel costs, which spiked by nearly 120 percent over the past month, compounded by the rising costs of vessel maintenance and equipment.
To mitigate the impact of surging fuel prices spurred by war in Iran, the Thai government recently authorized a seven-point assistance package. Part of this plan includes granting local fishermen access to biodiesel at a discount of THB 5.00 to THB 6.00 (USD 0.15 to USD 0.18, EUR 0.13 to EUR 0.15) per liter relative to standard diesel, The Nation reported on 27 March.
Despite the government intervention, vessel owners remain hesitant to return to sea, citing a lack of transparency regarding how and when these subsidies will be administered, Pattaya Mail reported.
The financial pressure on local fishermen has been further intensified by an influx of low-cost seafood imports, particularly squid from Myanmar and fish from India. These cheaper alternatives have effectively capped the prices local operators can charge at the docks.
NFAT also pointed to systemic issues fishers are facing, including the illegal transfer of cargo at sea and persistent smuggling, as key factors depressing local market values.
To address the escalating crisis, NFAT is calling an emergency summit with representatives from 22 coastal provinces to tackle the crisis. Proposals that come out of the meeting will be submitted to government agencies for consideration, the Bangkok Post reported.
NFAT is also pushing for discussions with Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun to outline the sector's grievances and negotiate potential relief measures.
The proposed agenda centers on ongoing negotiations regarding the Thailand-E.U. free trade agreement, regulatory oversight of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing protocols, and market instability triggered by a surge in foreign seafood imports.
