PUBLISHED: 7 Dec 2024 at 04: 45
According to Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, the government may request the returning of a Thai fishing boat after Myanmar authorities released four Thai team members yesterday.
After Myanmar patrol boats attacked a fleet of Thai fishing vessels off Ranong province, Sor Charoenchai 8 was seize and 31 crew members, including 27 Thais, were taken into custody for almost a week ( since Saturday ).
Following efforts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, and the Thai-Myanmar Township Border Committee ( TBC ), Thai authorities confirmed that the four Thais had been to Kawthaung in Myanmar, opposite Ranong.
Mr. Phumtham stated that the four Thais were expected to travel up to their native country without any event and that they would do so once the emigration procedure was finished.
The Thai government would arrange with their counterparts in Myanmar to obtain its return. After the Thai-Myanmar TBC meet, the issue should be obvious.
The state will protest if it is found that Myanmar’s authorities have overreacted, according to the defense minister, and is still gathering information about the incident.
According to Jirayu Huangsap, a spokesman for the state, health teams were on standby to pick up the four men who would go through health and emotional health checks.
The four Thai crew members were described as protected by the Royal Thai Navy on their Facebook page.
According to Maris Sangiampongsa, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Nikorndej Balankura, official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had instructed the Consular Department member to travel to Ranong and get ready to meet the Thais.
He claimed that he had no information about the boat’s transfer after it was taken. He responded to questions about whether the release was provisional in response to reports that the boat was connected to the Red Wa group, stating that the first report stated that the boat was a fishing boat, but that Myanmar authorities are looking into it further.
He claimed that the government had no knowledge about the Red Wa team and that the incident involved a fishing boat that was operating in neighboring country’s waters without permission.
” It was reported just as a’ fish ship’. The Myanmar state has not provided any details as to whether this ship has any connections to the Red Wa party. So, this situation involves a Thai fishing boat intruding on another government’s regional lakes”, he said.
He claimed that the launch, which was the effect of cooperation between the Thai and Myanmar administrations, was not warranted for a ransom.