Checkpoints impede arrival of fisherman for Bangkok protests
Authorities have impeded fishermen trying to travel to Bangkok for a big protest at the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry on Wednesday afternoon.
Temporary checkpoints have been set up along routes to Bangkok. Because the buses and vans carrying fishermen have had to stop at these checkpoints, many people could not make it to Bangkok in time for the protest that was initially scheduled to take place in front of the ministry at 2pm.
National Fisheries Association Thailand’s president Mongkhon Sukcharoenkhana said he planned to wait until all fishermen who planned to join the protest arrived before starting any negotiations with the government.
Mongkhon said a huge number of fishermen were upset that the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has signed an agreement on artisanal, or small-scale, fisheries. The protesters suspect the agreement will hurt commercial fishing and cause rifts among fishermen.
