Ruptly
"Fishermen in Thailand are warning of a looming shutdown, with vessels ramping down activities as soaring diesel prices driven by conflict in the Middle East plunge margins deep into the red. Footage captured on Sunday shows Rayong, a major fishing hub along the Gulf of Thailand, with more than half of trawlers already docked, reflecting the strain across the industry. "It definitely has an impact—fuel prices affect everything, [...] it’s hard to sell because the economy is bad. With fuel being so expensive, it just makes things even more difficult," said one of the fishermen. "At this rate, we’re heading for a collapse—our household is definitely not going to survive like this," added another. Similar conditions have been reported at other key ports, where operators say remaining vessels may soon suspend operations if costs continue to climb. "Everything is difficult—fuel is expensive, and what we catch isn’t worth the fuel cost. Some days we even end up losing money," remarked the head of the village. According to the data, the situation has pushed many operators to the brink, jeopardising livelihoods for around 50,000 workers across the sector. Diesel prices have surged to 38.94 baht (US $1.19) per litre as of Thursday after state subsidies were withdrawn, up from 29.94 baht (US $0.91) in February before the Middle East conflict intensified. Industry participants say operations will become unviable if prices reach 40 baht (US $1.22) per litre. Government data shows Thailand exported about $7 billion worth of fishery products in 2024 to key markets including the United States, Japan and China, underscoring the sector’s importance to the national economy."
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