BANGKOK, The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it has continuously assisted stranded Thai fishing boat workers in Indonesia. Over 1,200 of them have returned to Thailand.
From 1 October 2014 -29 July 2015, the ministry sent a total of 1,244 fishing boat crew men back to Thailand. The ministry said it had handled the matter with care and regard to good relations between Thailand and Indonesia and laws of the latter.
The Royal Thai Embassy in Jakarta, the only government agency in Indonesia responsible for assistance for the stranded crew men, has continuously issued Certificate of Identity to the Thai fishing boat workers who have been waiting to be sent back.
After they arrive to Thailand, the crew men will be rehabilitated by relevant government units who will also look into their case in an effort to prosecute those involved in human trafficking.
The Thai government has already checked 69 Thai fishing boat workers who returned to Thailand on 29 July 2015 and found that they had not been involved in human trafficking.
The ministry has also helped the stranded fishing boat crew members from other countries who want to return to their home countries by coordinating assistance.
