Thursday March 30, 2006

Shrimp Farmers Demand Thai Lawsuit Against US At WTO

BANGKOK, March 30 Asia Pulse - Shrimp farmers are threatening to rally in Bangkok to protest the Commerce Ministry’s inaction to their plight.

Shrimp Breeders Association chairman of Thailand’s southern Surat Thani Province Ekapoj Yodpinij said on Wednesday that industry representatives nationwide earlier petitioned Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and gave him 30 days to act.

But the deadline has passed and the Ministry has done nothing, according to Mr. Ekapoj.

Thailand’s shrimp breeders and exporters want the Commerce Ministry to take the Thai case against the US to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), charging US with trade protectionism by imposing double taxation on Thai shrimp.

Some 30 days have passed since the official petition was lodged, according to Mr. Ekapoj.

"They did nothing and we have never been contacted," he said.

The shrimpers asked the Commerce Ministry to take the case to the WTO within three days, or breeders from across the country will assemble at the Commerce Ministry to seek justice and to protest against the Thai-US Free Trade Area (FTA) negotiations, he said.

Mr. Ekapoj insisted that the move has nothing to do with the current political turmoil.

(TNA/OANA)