SONGKHLA: A Vietnamese fishing boat with four crewmen was caught fishing illegally in Thai territorial waters on Monday, the 2nd Naval Area's Thailand Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai-MECC) announced.
Thai-MECC despatched patrol boat Long Lom to investigate after fishermen reported seeing a foreign boat fishing in an area about 70 nautical miles east of Songkhla, the statement said.
A Vietnamese fishing boat with four crewmen was found in the area. It was brought to the Songkhla Naval Base of the 2nd Naval Area.
The four crewmen were slapped with six charges including illegal entry in breach of the Immigration Act, illegally fishing in Thai waters without permission in violation of the Fishing Act and violating the law on fishing rights in Thai waters.
Thai-MECC thanked fishermen for providing the information that led the detention of the foreign boat, and vowed to do its best to protect Thai maritime interests in the 113,275 square kilometre area under its jurisdiction.