NARATHIWAT: Two Vietnamese fishing boats were caught illegally fishing in Thai territorial waters off this southern border province on Saturday, marine police said on Sunday. Nine crew members aboard were arrested.
Pol Maj Gen Somkuan Phuengsap, the provincial marine police commander, said the two boats -- identified as SM99771TS with five crew and CM921177S with four crew -- were spotted by a Thai marine patrol boat at 4.41pm on Saturday about 17 nautical miles from Narathiwat.
The two boats were taken to the marine police headquarters in Narathiwat. The nine crewmen were charged with illegal fishing in Thai territorial waters in violation of three laws related to fisheries and illegal entry under the Immigration Act of 1979.
Pol Maj Gen Somkuan said numerous fishing boats from Vietnam had been arrested for fishing in Thai territorial waters under the jurisdiction of the 7th Marine Police Sub-division, which is responsible for the area from the southern part of the Gulf of Thailand from Songkhla down to Narathiwat.