Twenty Thai tourists detained by Myanmar authorities last month during a fishing trip on the Andaman Sea for entering the neighbouring country's territorial waters were yesterday released without charge and returned to Thailand.
The two Thai and two Myanmar crew members of the fishing boat who led the fishing trip remain detained and have been charged with illegally operating in the neighbouring country's waters, said a source.
Ranong provincial governor Somkiat Sisanet said the 20 tourists were immediately sent into state quarantine upon arrival.
The fishing boat, identified as the Polarisawan, took the group out on the ocean excursion on Nov 8. A Myanmar navy vessel stopped the boat and all 20 tourists and four crew members were detained and taken to a naval base on Zadetkyi Island.
The tourists were later taken to a hotel in Kawthaung where they have been for the past month, during which time Thai authorities tried to get them off the hook by arguing that the incursion was accidental. The group were taken by Myanmar naval officials back to Ranong yesterday, said the source.