MOU Cooperation on the Labour Rights of Fishers and Seafarers in Thailand’s Tuna Industry on 12 Oct 2026
The Thai Tuna Industry Association (TTIA) and Stella Maris Thailand, under the Catholic Commission for Social Pastoral Care, Tourism and Seafarers of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on “Cooperation on the Labour Rights of Fishers and Seafarers in Thailand’s Tuna Industry” on 12 October 2026 at Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn, Bangkok. The cooperation aims to strengthen the protection of labour rights throughout the tuna supply chain and enhance confidence among consumers and international trading partners.
The MOU will remain in effect for three years, from 12 October 2026 to 30 September 2029.
It covers seafarers working on foreign refrigerated tuna carrier vessels and workers on Thai-flagged purse seine fishing vessels.
Five Key Areas of Cooperation
- Information Sharing Both parties will exchange information on working conditions, labour rights and welfare to help prevent human trafficking and forced labour.
- Ship Visits The two parties will jointly conduct ship visits at ports in Thailand to listen to workers’ concerns, provide guidance and observe living conditions, without disrupting normal vessel operations.
- Fact-Finding and Problem Resolution When concerns arise, both parties will provide opportunities for fact-finding, coordination and joint discussion to address the issues before information is made public. The independence of each party will be respected, while complainants, informants and persons seeking assistance will be protected from retaliation
or unfair treatment. - Labour Training and Awareness Training will cover labour rights, relevant laws, rights and responsibilities under employment contracts, occupational health and safety, grievance and assistance channels, as well as good practices in line with international standards.
- Communication with TTIA Members TTIA will communicate the outcomes of the cooperation to its members to support risk assessment and promote fair employment practices.
The cooperation is voluntary and does not create any legal obligations or affect the independence or responsibilities of either party. Details and activity plans will be discussed jointly on a regular basis.
Dr. Chanintr Chalisarapong, President of the Thai Tuna Industry Association, said: “Protecting labour rights is an important part of a sustainable tuna industry. Our cooperation with Stella Maris Thailand, which has extensive experience in visiting seafarers on tuna carrier vessels, will enable both parties to exchange information, better understand issues based on actual conditions, and work together to promote labour rights and fair employment throughout Thailand’s tuna supply chain.”
Fr. Pairat Sriprasert, Director of Stella Maris Thailand, said: “We are ready to bring our experience in working with seafarers to support this cooperation, so that crew members are informed about their rights and have appropriate access to advice and assistance.”