RANONG, Thailand – The Ranong Port Security Control Center apprehended a Myanmar-flagged fishing vessel along with its captain and six crew members for trespassing into Thai waters near Koh Chang, Ranong province. The vessel was escorted to Ranong Deep Sea Port for further inspection.
Captain Traijak Satatharam, head of the Ranong Port Security Control Center under the Third Naval Area Command, revealed that on the evening of March 2, Vice Admiral Suwat Donsakul, Commander of the Third Naval Area, received a report from Naval Unit 451 on Koh Chang regarding an unidentified fishing vessel encroaching into Thai waters west of Koh Chang. He immediately ordered Lieutenant Commander Apipat Sirikhong, commander of the coastal patrol vessel Tor.993, to intercept and inspect the vessel.
At approximately 9:00 PM, Tor.993 located the unidentified fishing vessel south of Koh Sinhai and swiftly carried out the arrest. The vessel had six Myanmar crew members on board, but no fishing equipment was found. The ship’s hold was empty, lacking fish storage tanks or ice, unlike typical fishing vessels. The authorities noted similarities with another vessel seized in Ranong waters last month, raising suspicions of illegal activity before the naval forces intervened.
The vessel was towed to Ranong Deep Sea Port and docked at 10:45 PM. Officials from the Ranong Port Security Center, along with Navy officers from the Royal Thai Navy’s Maritime Enforcement Command and other relevant units, conducted background checks on the six crew members and interrogated them regarding their presence in Thai waters. Initial assessments suggest potential involvement in illegal activities due to several suspicious factors, including a possible link to human trafficking. A multidisciplinary investigation team will further examine the vessel to proceed with legal actions. (TNA)
