‘We’ve Been Treated Like Dogs’: How Thailand’s fishing industry still fails Myanmar fishermen

Under an oppressive midday heat, dozens of Myanmar fishermen were busy offloading a huge new catch. From a fishing vessel docked in shallow water, the men rushed baskets full of fish off their boats with a sense of urgency and haste. Below, workers were busy preparing fishing nets, while others loaded ice into coolers in preparation for their next trip to sea. The fishing pier, located in Ranong, a coastal town in southern Thailand, was alive with activity. A pungent scent of fish permeated the area as the scorching sun thawed out everything. The men were hardened by months of labor: calloused hands, sunburnt skin, and weathered clothing. The job was arduous. And the relentless heat was punishing. But despite these conditions, the men pushed on, chasing a humble salary that would cover just enough to support themselves and their families. The majority of the fishermen that day were from Tanintharyi Region, located across the Pachan River, a natural border which divides Myanmar and Thailand. Over the last decade, the Thai fishing industry has become infamous. For years, human rights organisations have documented the rampant use of forced labor, human trafficking, physical abuse, and even killings at sea. A fishing boat carrying Myanmar workers sails in Thai waters (Photo: Myanmar Now) After reports were released that revealed rampant rights abuses within Thailand’s fishing industry, the Thai government began reforming the sector in 2015. New legislation was passed that would improve the lives of tens of thousands of Myanmar migrant laborers. But since the 2021 coup, many say they still face exploitation, fearing the industry is dangerously regressing. Min Shwe Thein, a 49-year-old resident of Ranong with 35 years of fishing experience, told Myanmar Now that Myanmar migrant laborers still make up the majority of those employed on Thai fishing boats. Without them, he said, the Thai fishing industry would fail.“Without Myanmar workers their boats would be useless,” he said. “Their fishing vessels would only be good for firewood.” Known by his nickname ‘Wunna’, Min Shwe Thein comes from Myanmar’s Mon State. When speaking to his peers, he conveys an air of confidence, earned from decades of exposure to the arduous and often controversial industry. Longtime Thailand based fishermen, Min Shwe Thein, displays work permits issued by the Thai government (Photo: Myat Gyi / Myanmar Now) Myanmar migrant fishermen have been a crucial part of the Thai fishing industry for decades, fulfilling both domestic fish consumption needs and playing a key role in the country’s international seafood sector. While major corporations and local business owners at all levels of the supply chain reap substantial profits from exporting fish to international markets, migrant laborers continue to suffer from rights abuses. In some cases, workers are still trapped in cycles of debt.“They don’t pay us if we stay on the shore,” Min Shwe Thein said. “We only get paid when we go out to sea.”‘Couldn’t make a living back home’ In Ranong, Min Shwe Thein and other fishing families endure cramped, poorly ventilated rented rooms near the harbor where they work. They often spend seven, 15, or even 30 days at sea, resting only when their boats return to shore. Although their monthly salary is set at roughly US $350, employers withhold pay during months when boats remain docked. “We can’t work if they don’t give us any tasks,” he said. “But if we take other jobs, they’ll arrest us, especially if the new employer isn’t on good terms with them. Or, we’d be fined a large sum. No one dares to work for someone else.” Min Shwe Thein explained that if a worker switches jobs without official registration, both the worker and the new employer could face substantial fines. The majority of the millions of Myanmar workers in neighboring Thailand are often limited to jobs that locals refuse, including those in hazardous, dirty, and physically demanding conditions.A recent report indicates that 70 percent of workers in Thailand's fishing industry are from Myanmar. In Ranong, a commercial fishing hub with a population of 175,000, an estimated 50,000 are Myanmar migrants. The town’s 400 fishing boats, each carrying over 30 crew members, typically have only one to four Thai workers, with the majority hailing from Myanmar. After the military junta seized power in a coup in 2021, widespread political instability and a collapsing economy forced many young people to seek work abroad. Many of those who left the country entered Thailand's fishing industry. Pyae Sone, a 22-year-old from Pyapon Town, Ayeyarwady Region, moved to Ranong in 2022. The slender, but physically fit young man, had previously worked in fishing and construction jobs in Myanmar. Determined to make ends meet, he resolved to take on a fishing job in Thailand. “I couldn’t make a living back home, so when things weren’t working out, I decided to come here,” he said. A section within a compound where Myanmar fishermen reside (Photo: Myat Gyi / Myanmar Now) "If you couldn't do your job or understand things at work, people would look down on you. I’ve been through that. The first month was the hardest. I left Myanmar just looking for a job, and now I’m working on a fishing boat.”At sea, he loaded and unloaded fishing nets and cleaned the catch—exhausting work, but it paid more than jobs in Myanmar. Still, high costs for food, housing, and document renewals made life difficult. Migrant workers without proper entry documents under the Myanmar-Thailand MoU faced mandatory renewals, which sparked protests in December last year when fees rose to $350 THB per worker."There were moments when I missed home while at sea, but I remind myself that I left because life wasn’t easy there,” Pyae Sone said of Myanmar. “I tell myself I’ll return one day.” ‘A cycle of debt’ Myanmar workers form the backbone of Thailand’s seafood industry, a global leader in international markets, activists say. While Thais are tasked to operate vessels and manage operations, they rarely handle manual tasks like net loading or sorting the catch. With fewer Thais joining the industry, labor-intensive jobs are largely filled by migrants from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. Fishing boat owners in the seafood supply chain have grown wealthy, often owning multiple boats and homes. In contrast, many fishing workers remain trapped in poverty, scraping by and renewing documents just to keep their jobs, says Ye Thu, an labor rights activist pushing to form a Myanmar fishers’ union in Ranong. A section within a compound where Myanmar fishermen reside (Photo: Myat Gyi / Myanmar Now) “The reason for this is that the workers lack awareness of their basic rights, and no one is informing them about these rights,” he said. “Fishing workers just go out on the boats, get paid, and return to shore. They aren’t aware of the rights and benefits they’re entitled to. This lack of knowledge leads to difficulties, and violations of their rights.” Although there are offices where fishing workers can file complaints about rights violations, they are often unable to do so because they don't understand the procedures. Additionally, Thai law imposes restrictions that prevent foreign workers from forming associations. The weak enforcement of the rule of law at sea, along with the harsh working conditions, led to widespread cases of modern slavery over several decades. In 2015, an investigation from the Associated Press (AP) and human rights groups revealed widespread violations of rights, including torture, and modern day slavery were behind the seafood exported to global markets. After receiving an international warning, the Thai government began implementing reforms. A system called PIPO (Port-In Port-Out) was introduced to monitor the entry and exit of Thai fishing boats at ports. Government officials from PIPO were tasked to track the number of migrants on board a specific vessel, verify their documents, check their safety and security, and ensure proper working conditions were being followed on board. In theory, if these practices were not followed, fishing workers were not permitted to board the vessels.At the same time, Thailand signed the International Labour Organization's Fishing Convention, which ensures fair pay, working conditions, healthcare, social security, and protections for fishing workers' rights. Yet despite these welcomed improvements, a report from the Fishers' Rights Network (FRN) in 2024, found that the Thai government inspections were merely superficial and failed to effectively protect the rights of fishing workers. The researchers revealed that employers had been seizing fishing workers' documents, employment contracts, and even bank cards. FRN also found there remained a lack of adequate drinking water on many fishing vessels, insufficient medical supplies, and discovered migrant workers were being denied access to adequate medical assistance.And then there are the paperwork hurdles every migrant worker must overcome too. Activist Ye Thu said that while employers pay for document creation and renewals, they treat these fees as debt, forcing workers to repay them whenever they switch jobs.Thailand's ‘pink card’ is an identification card issued to migrant workers from countries like Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia who are living and working in Thailand. It serves as a temporary work permit and a form of legal recognition, allowing these workers to stay and work in the country legally. The card is part of Thailand's effort to manage its large migrant workforce, but it often comes with restrictions and conditions, such as the need to renew it periodically and limitations on changing employers.Employers cover the cost of ‘pink cards,’ but often demand repayment—ranging from $900 to $3000 THB—if an employee leaves after a few years. Myanmar nationals in Thailand without legal status must first obtain pink cards and other documentation in order to work and travel, according to Ye Thu.Min Shwe Thein from Ranong, added that this system often leaves migrant workers in a perpetual state of debt. "Many workers are struggling with the added burden of paying for food and accommodation,” he said. “Some are trapped in a cycle of debt.”‘They know we can’t return home’ During Aung San Suu Kyi’ government, Thai authorities and employers showed genuine concern for the rights of Myanmar workers in Thailand. But this has changed after the 2021 coup, according to migrant workers who were interviewed by Myanmar Now. Ye Thu said the increasing number of people who risk entry into Thailand through various routes, combined with workers unable to return home, has created a situation that heavily benefits employers. “They know we can’t return home, so there have been instances where they ignore workers’ rights and adopt the attitude of ‘let them leave if they’re unhappy,’ knowing full well we have no other options,” he said.“The fishing industry has been deteriorating since the coup.” According to seafood industry workers interviewed by Myanmar Now, some still endure rights violations at sea, considering it less harsh than the struggle of fleeing forced conscription under the junta, which has ramped up efforts to replenish its dwindling troops after enacting the conscription law."When have we ever seen our lives improve after the military coup? It's no different now,” Tin Htun Win, a former fisherman, told Myanmar Now. He’s been living in Ranong for 17 years and is now employed at a car repair shop. “Since they [the junta] took power, we’ve been treated like dogs,” he said. “Nothing has improved. Life has only worsened since the coup. We should be grateful they even let us stay here.”His fears are amplified by new Thai legislation that many activists say will reduce labor rights and strip down safety rails. In December 2023, the Thai government put forward various amendments to the country’s fishing labor laws. Some of the new provisions would permit vessels to transfer crew and catch to other boats while at sea "in emergencies," with certain limitations. Labor activists, however, strongly oppose this practice, as it often keeps trafficked fishermen stranded at sea for extended periods. The new draft is expected to weaken existing regulations, leading to diminished oversight and an increase in rights violations, including longer working hours and lower wages, activists say.And the troubles at sea have already begun.In late November last year, the junta’s naval forces attacked and seized four Thai fishing vessels between Ranong and Kawthaung Towns, killing a Thai national and arresting four others, while 27 Myanmar workers were also detained.All of those arrested were sentenced to prison. Although the Thai government sought to secure the release of their nationals, they provided little support to the Myanmar workers who were imprisoned for illegally entering Myanmar’s territorial waters.Many fear the worst is yet to come. Min Shwe Thein predicts Myanmar migrant workers will remain on the fringes of the Thai fishing industry, enduring persistent rights violations in the following years. “Myanmar workers, even those operating machines, are stuck doing the lowest-tier jobs,” he said. “We can’t go back home because of the unstable situation in Myanmar. And when it comes to money, if we return, our children will go hungry.”

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