Thailand pushes Myanmar to free detained fishermen

BANGKOK: Thailand on Monday summoned the Myanmar ambassador to push for the release of four Thai nationals detained after Myanmar naval vessels reportedly fired on fishing boats.

One fisherman drowned after jumping into the sea during the incident when the Thai boats strayed six to seven kilometres into Myanmar waters on Saturday, the kingdom’s defence minister Phumtham Wechayachai said on Sunday.

A total of 31 crew members, including four Thai citizens, were detained, Phumtham said.

Thailand’s director general of east asian affairs Piyapak Sricharoen on Monday met with Myanmar ambassador Chit Swe, who “expressed his condolences” and said he “would raise the issue with all of those involved, at the highest level of the Myanmar government”, Thai foreign minister Maris Sangiampongsa said in a video statement.

Maris said he had reached out to his Myanmar counterpart Than Swe who “responded with his commitment to lend his full support to the Thai side”, after Thailand urged a full investigation into the incident and the release of the four Thai citizens.

The Thai government said it had also told its ambassador in Yangon to raise the issue with Myanmar’s foreign ministry in Naypyidaw.

A Myanmar junta spokesman said a Myanmar naval vessel had detected “suspicious movements” near Kawthaung in Myanmar waters at around 2:00 am local time on Nov 30.

After discovering they were fishing boats, the vessel “called them using light signals… but they (the fishing boats) ran away,” Zaw Min Tun said in an audio statement. “They were chased.”

Twenty seven Myanmar nationals and four Thai nationals were arrested from one boat that had been caught five miles inside Myanmar waters, he added.

The group was being “investigated,” he said, adding all of them were “in good health.”

There were no casualties, Zaw Min Tun said.

Thai navy officials said one Thai national and one Myanmar citizen were being treated at a hospital in southwestern Ranong province.

Fishery officials in Ranong have issued a warning for all vessels in coastal waters to take precautions when fishing near the Thai-Myanmar border.

The clash highlights ongoing disputes over illegal fishing and maritime boundaries in the Andaman Sea, off the southern point of the 2,400-kilometre land border Thailand shares with Myanmar.