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Published on July 20, 2007

Director-general Apiradi Tantraporn yesterday said producers should concentrate more on international standards and processing without contamination.

The EU has compensated its trading partners since 2003 after granting Generalised System of Preferences privileges on canned tuna from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. It allocated import quotas to Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, to offset their losses.

Under the arrangement, canned tuna imported from the three countries is subject to import duty of 12 per cent, compared with 24 per cent for tuna brought in out of quota.

Thailand was allocated an annual export quota of 25,750 tonnes throughout the five-year, low-tariff package.

Thai tuna sales to the EU reached Bt5.02 billion last year. They were Bt3.04 billion in the first five months of this year, up 22 per cent year on year. Thai tuna has more than 10 per cent of the EU market.

Special UK fares

Travellers from Thailand can benefit from Qantas/British Airways' Early Bird Specials for travel to the United Kingdom.

Return tickets from Bangkok to London start from Bt27,900 in World-Traveller/Economy, excluding taxes and fuel surcharge.

Bookings can be made until August 31 for travel between September 1 and October 31 for the outbound flight, with tickets valid for 12 months.

British Airways was voted Airline of the Year 2006 in the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards.

Unfair trading

The Internal Trade Department took legal action last month against 21 traders whose practices violated the Consumer Protection Act.

Director-general Siripol Yodmuangcharoen yesterday said the offenders would be fined a combined Bt48,000.

Shops in Bangkok were found guilty in 11 cases, mainly for inaccurate measurements and selling less than was indicated on the label.