Thailand May Raise Malaysia's Shrimp Import Suspension At WTO, ASEAN

By Wilawan Watcharasakwet

BANGKOK, June 7 (Bernama) -- Thailand is prepared to raise Malaysia's temporary suspension of imports of five Thai shrimp species at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and ASEAN forums if bilateral negotiations fail to resolve the issue.

Government Spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said the Ministry of Commerce has instructed its Office of Commercial Affairs in Kuala Lumpur to closely monitor developments following the suspension which took effect on June 1.

She said the government remains committed to resolving the matter through bilateral discussions, with the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives directed to expedite talks with their Malaysian counterparts.

"Should the issue remain unresolved, Thailand is prepared to elevate the matter to the WTO and ASEAN platforms," she said in a statement on Sunday.

The move comes as Thailand rolls out a series of measures to cushion the impact of the suspension on shrimp farmers and exporters.

Ratchada said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had expressed concern over the potential impact on shrimp farmers, particularly those in southern Thailand, and instructed relevant agencies to prevent a decline in farm-gate prices while securing alternative markets for affected producers.

To mitigate the impact, she said the Ministry of Commerce has introduced 13 urgent measures aimed at absorbing about 400 tonnes of shrimp output per month – equivalent to the average volume of Thai shrimp exports to Malaysia – valued at approximately 44 million baht (US$1.35 million) a month.

Ratchada said the measures include expanding export opportunities in China through trade promotion events, online business-matching programmes, and participation in major international food exhibitions, while boosting domestic consumption through promotional campaigns and market intervention initiatives.

"For the longer term, Thailand's Department of Fisheries and the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards will continue discussions with Malaysian authorities in an effort to resolve the dispute," she said.

Malaysia's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security announced last month a temporary suspension on imports of five shrimp species from Thailand, effective June 1, as part of tighter controls on fisheries products from the kingdom.

The affected species are Penaeus esculentus (brown tiger prawn), Fenneropenaeus merguiensis (banana prawn), Penaeus vannamei (whiteleg shrimp), Penaeus monodon (giant tiger prawn), and Penaeus stylirostris (blue shrimp).

-- BERNAMA