G/SCM/Q2/THA/29  
 
22 October 2019  
(19-6928) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures  Original: English  
 
 SUBSIDIES  
ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS1 POSED BY THE UNITED  STATES REGARDING  
THE NEW AND FULL NOT IFICATION OF THAILAND2 
The following communication, dated 21 October 2019 , is being circulated at the requ est of the 
delegation of Thailand . 
 
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Compensation Program for Fishing Vessel Owners Affected by the Government’s Fishing 
Vessel Removal Measure  
Question 1  
Please explain if there are conditions that must be met in order to receive support under 
this program.  
Answer  
The Committee on Fishing Vessel Buyback Program will consider whether a fishing vessel owner is 
eligible for the compensation according to the following conditions:  
(1) The fishing vessel is not allowed to fish in Thai waters as a result of Thailand’s fisheries 
laws reform to combat IUU Fishing in 2015.  
(2) The fishing vessel owner and fishing vessel must not have any record of violation of 
fisheries laws, labour laws, or relevant laws and regulations of the Marine Department.  
(3) The value of the fishing vessel must be as sessed by the Committee in accordance with 
its actual conditions.  
Question 2  
Can vessel owners fish outside of Thai water after receiving grants under this program?  
Answer  
Once the compensation has been granted, the fishing vessel must be destroyed and rem oved from 
the system permanently.  
                                                
1 G/SCM/Q2/THA/28.  
2 G/SCM/N/343/ THA. G/SCM/Q2/THA/29  
 
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  The Livelihood Improvement and Resilience Building Program for Artisanal Fisheries 
Communities  
Question 3  
Please explain how ‘artisanal fisheries’ and ‘artisanal fishers’ are defined under this 
program.  
Answer  
According t o the Royal Ordinance on Fisheries B.E. 2558 (2015) and Royal Ordinance on Fisheries 
(No. 2) B.E. 2560 (2017) as well as relevant regulations, “artisanal fisheries” means fishing operated 
in coastal seas, either using fishing vessels or fishing gears witho ut fishing vessels. The vessels used 
in this context shall not exceed 10 gross tonnages in size or 280 horse power in engine. Additionally, 
such vessels shall not use the following fishing gear: (1) pair trawls (2) otter board trawls (3) beam 
trawls (4) pu rse seines (5) anchovy purse seines (6) motorized vessel equipped with dredges and 
(7) light luring vessels.  
The term “artisanal fishers” means members of artisanal fishing communities registered as local 
fishing community organizations pursuant to the Notification of the Department of Fisheries on the 
Rules for the Registration of Local Fishing Community Organizations B.E.2558 (2015). Such 
organizations shall consist of 7 members or more in forms of juristic persons, groups of persons, or 
any organizati ons. Their members must have Thai nationality and earn a living via fishing locally in 
coastal seas.  
Capacity Building on Marine Shrimp Production and Marketing for Domestic Shrimp 
Consumption  
Question 4  
Please explain how ‘small -scale marine shrimp farmer s’ are defined under this program.  
Answer  
Under this program, “small -scale marine shrimp farmers” are the small -size farmers of vannamei 
shrimp. Each farmer must not possess farming areas more than 3.2 hectares in total.  
Question 5  
Please explain whether t his program applies to marine captured shrimp.  
Answer  
This program targets only marine farmed shrimp (farmed vanmamei shrimp) and does not apply to 
marine captured shrimp.  
Other Programs  
Question 6  
Publicly available information indicates that Thailand may  maintain support programs for 
the fisheries sector that were not reported in its notification. Please explain why the 
following programs were not notified:  
1) Thai Shrimp Price Stabilization Project  
Answe r 
Thailand did not grant or maintain this program during the notified period.  G/SCM/Q2/THA/29  
 
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  2) Green Oil Project (to provide inexpensive diesel oil for fishers)  
Answer  
Thailand is in the process of collecting information about the operation of this program from the 
relevant agencies as to whether this program i s in operation and, if so, as to whether it operates 
within the definitions of specific subsidies under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing 
Measures.  
3) Discounted Financing for Machinery Upgrades (provides financing for fishers at low 
interest t o upgrade the machineries used for fishing)  
Answer  
Thailand did not grant or maintain this program during the notified period.  
4) Tax incentives under the Investment Promotion Act  
Answer  
The Office of Board of Investment provides the investment promotion i ncentives in form of tax 
concession available to all sectors according to the Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 (1977), as 
amended. The Office of Board of Investment does not grant or maintain special incentives to any 
specific sector. In any event, Thail and had already notified such incentives under the item 1 of the 
recent Thailand’s Notification to the WTO (G/SCM/N/343/THA).  
5) Offshore Fisheries Resources Exploration in the Southeast Asia  
Answe r 
During the notified period, Thailand did not conduct any surveys on marine fishery resources to 
explore new fishing grounds for the purpose of commercial fisheries in the territorial waters of other 
countries in Southeast Asia.  
 
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