Thailand seizes 3 boats, detains 14 Vietnamese fishermen

On Monday, a Royal Thai Navy boat found and seized three fishing vessels in the Gulf of Thailand, The Nation reported.

The fishermen were caught scraping for sea cucumbers, around nine nautical miles north of Losin Island.

The crew of the vessels were from Kien Giang and Ca Mau Provinces in southern Vietnam.

Legal action against the fishermen is anticipated before they are deported, naval officials said.

The Vietnamese Embassy has been informed of the incident.

According to Thai Navy officials, four other Vietnamese fishing vessels along with 14 fishermen had already been detained in October, the beginning of Thailand’s 2019 fiscal year.

The last fiscal year witnessed the seizure of 40 Vietnamese boats and detainment of 216 crew members in Thai waters for illegal fishing.

Many Vietnamese fishermen have recently been charged with fishing violations in neighboring countries’ waters.

In late September, the Royal Brunei navy captured four Vietnamese fishermen. Early October, two vessels and 39 Vietnamese fishermen were apprehended for fishing illegally in Malaysian waters.

Vietnamese authorities have been seeking measures to improve knowledge of fishermen of territorial boundaries and international maritime laws.