PHUKET - Two Indonesian fishing trawlers were seized and the 18 crew members arrested off this island province for illegally fishing in Thai waters on Tuesday morning.
HTMS Longlom intercepted the two trawlers inside Thailand’s exclusive economic zone about 6.15am, the Region 3 office of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (TMECC) announced.
The two vessels and 18 crew members were taken to Phangna naval base for legal action. The seizure followed a complaint by the Andaman Sea fishing network that two foreign fishing boats were spotted working about 56 miles southwest of Phuket island on May 15.
Vice Adm Suwat Donsakun, chief of the 3rd Naval Area Command, ordered the TMECC to monitor the two vessels, and the corvette HTMS Longlom was deployed to the area.
All 18 crew from the two Indonesian trawlers wer taken aboard the corvette HTMS Longlom after they were caught fishing in Thai waters off Phuket on Monday morning. (Photo: Thai Maritime Enforcement Commander Centre)