Seven Vietnamese vessels have been seized and 38 crewmen and skippers arrested for illegal fishing in the Gulf of Thailand in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
Naval officers from the patrol ships HTMS Narathiwat and HTMS Khlong Yai spotted the Vietnamese vessels fishing off Koh Kra, an island 30 nautical miles from the coast of the southern province on Friday.
The seized vessels, their crewmen and skippers were taken to the Second Naval Area’s Songkhla naval base on Saturday. The suspects were later handed over to Songkhla police for legal action.
Rear Adm Sompop Suriyalankarn, deputy commander of the Second Naval Area, said that offshore patrol ships and helicopters made regular patrols to crack down on foreign vessels fishing illegally in Thai waters.
Officers guard the 38 crewmen held after the seizure of seven Vietnamese fishing vessels off Nakhon Si Thammarat on Friday. (Photo from Second Naval Area public relations Facebook page)