COVID-19 Crisis Catalyzed Disruptions in the Thai Seafood Supply Chain

Abstract

This research studied the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Thai Seafood Supply Chain (ThaiSSC) and the responses taken by the supply chain from the beginning of the pandemic through the first quarter of 2022. Twenty-four semi-structured 1-to-1 in-depth interviews with veterans and leaders of the Thai seafood industry (farmers, processors, seafood brokers, importers, exporters, government officials and distributors) revealed the overall negative impact of the pandemic due to drastic changes in peoples’ livelihoods, and laws and regulations. Nevertheless, ThaiSSC maintained its overall structure, due to the transformations of many actors in the chain. Prompatanapak and Lopetcharat (2020) reported the transformation resembled to this findings. Hence, the COVID-19 pandemic was a catalyst in accelerating these transformations from several years to a few months. This demonstrates the resiliency of the ThaiSSC, even though, about 30% of its connections disappeared due to the diminished influences of several stakeholders. Pre-processors and sourcing agents emerged as important new actors in the Thai seafood supply chain. The new roles and functions of these actors in the Thai seafood supply chain after the COVID-19 pandemic are reported and compared with those from before the pandemic.