EDITORIAL
Far too soft on pirates
- Published: 27/12/2010 at 03:10 AM
- Newspaper section: News
Less than six weeks ago, the Royal Thai Navy gave hope that the battle against the pirates in the northern Indian Ocean could be won. Two naval vessels sailed for the Gulf of Aden. Their crew of 351 sailors and 20 special warfare troops had the mission of joining the international effort against the pirates. On Christmas Day, no less, came word that 27 Thai seamen and their 20,377 tonne cargo ship had been successfully hijacked by pirates.
The Christmas hijacking puts a total of four Thai vessels in criminal hands. Last April, the pirates seized three fishing boats, the Pran Talay 11, 12 and 14. The ships and their 77 crew remain in the hands of the hostage-takers. The Thai-flagged Thor Nexus and its 27 Thai crewmen are the latest victims.
According to the European Union Naval Force for Somalia, which coordinates anti-piracy activities, the criminals now hold 25 vessels and 601 people hostage. The Socotra 1, a Yemeni owned ship with six crewmen, was hijacked on Dec 25 last year. During the past year, the Thai navy ships and numerous other warships from many other countries have recovered only a few pirated vessels. The pirates continue to win a lucrative battle in which they have gained millions in ransom while putting world shipping at high risk, and international security efforts to shame.
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