Anutin to visit Malaysia over seafood ban as shrimp farmers’ losses grow

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul plans to meet with his Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, to discuss border security and economic cooperation, with the resolution of a seafood export ban topping the agenda during his official visit to Malaysia on July 9 and 10.

The high-level talks are primarily aimed at salvaging bilateral trade after Malaysia abruptly suspended imports of Thai shrimp on June 1.

Preliminary negotiations have reportedly yielded positive outcomes, with both leaders pushing to finalise a new agreement next week to enable the immediate resumption of Thai shrimp exports.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said technical teams from both nations are working to clear Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) inspections, adding “The goal is to implement the new import-export framework within 30 days, backed by rigorous laboratory screening to ensure food safety standards and restore consumer confidence.”

The diplomatic breakthrough may, however, come too late for struggling local aquaculturists, who have described administration's response as sluggish.

Preecha Sukkasem, a shrimp farmer in Songkhla, said that, despite strong bilateral ties, negotiations dragged on until local farmers were forced to dump their stock at below cost, leaving them with no produce left to export.

In Trang province, shrimp farmer Suwat Pichairat echoed the frustration, stating that a month of trade disruptions has saddled operators with severe accumulated losses, forcing a significant number of farmers to permanently shut down their ponds.

To alleviate the immediate crisis, the Commerce Ministry has launched a nationwide domestic intervention campaign. Commerce Ministry spokesman Goranij Nonejuie announced that commerce offices in 40 provinces have been ordered to establish direct-to-consumer distribution points, targeting a sales volume of 10 tonnes per province.

The ministry has also enlisted modern trade retailers and the Samut Sakhon Cold Storage Association to absorb excess supply, a move expected to pull over 2,000 tonnes of shrimp out of the stalled supply chain.

The domestic clearance strategy has triggered buying frenzies in several provinces. In Surin, premium white vannamei shrimp were discounted from the standard 360 baht per kilogramme to 189 baht, drawing large crowds.

Similarly, in Roi Et, high-quality shrimp trucked in from Chachoengsao were sold at a subsidised rate of 199 baht per kilogramme, down from 220 baht, as the government scrambles to stabilise domestic prices ahead of next week's bilateral meeting.