Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul will discuss the issue of Indonesia’s fishing ban on Thai trawlers in Indonesian waters with the Indonesian foreign minister today.
Marty Natalegawa will fly to Thailand on Friday and discuss with Mr Surapong the fishing ban issue and the case of two Indonesian navy personnel allegedly killed by the Thai crew of the Sor Nattaya 7 in Indonesian waters.
“I will request Mr Natalegawa to help speed up the process for Thai fishing boats to resume their operations in Indonesian waters as his government has now imposed stricter rules on Thai and other countries’ boats,’’ said Mr Surapong. The pair will speak by phone when Mr Natalegawa arrives in the Kingdom.
Mr Surapong has asked fishermen to respect other countries’ laws and seek fishing licences before entering any country's territory. The fishermen should allow authorities to inspect their boats, and remember that hurting people would land other fishermen in trouble too, he said.
Mr Surapong stepped in to help solve the problem of the fishing ban in Indonesian waters issued on March 9 after Songkhla Fishery Association chairman Praporn Ake-uru submitted a letter via the Thai Fishery Association in Bangkok to the Foreign Ministry.
The ministry was asked to approach Indonesia and make sure the ban was lifted as soon as possible.
He said fishermen were losing millions of baht a day as they could not ply their trade. The country was also losing revenue from fishing fees.
The Royal Thai Police are investigating the alleged double murder of the two Indonesian naval officers after the Indonesian embassy in Bangkok asked for assistance.
Mr Surapong said he had been informed that police have arrested at least three crew members and charged them with working illegally in the fishery.
He said there were 12 crew on board the Sor Nattaya 7 that day.
However, deputy commander of the Marine Police Division Pol Col Thinnakorn Rangmat, who is on a panel investigating the case, said police have issued arrest warrants for 10 crew on charges of working illegally as fishermen and illegal departure to Indonesia without seeking state permission. Two other crew members were treated as witnesses in the case.
Pol Col Thinnakorn said investigators have not yet charged anyone with murder, saying they are seeking more solid evidence to substantiate the charges against them.
A source on the investigation team explained the two witnesses admitted the crew of the Sor Nattaya 7 had struck the heads of the two Indonesian naval officers with a hammer and stabbed them to death before dumping their bodies in Indonesian waters.