Reel trouble: Thai CIB exposes Vietnamese in illegal gulf fishing probe

The Thai Central Investigative Bureau (CIB) yesterday unveiled details about a group of Vietnamese fishermen allegedly implicated in illegal fishing in the upper Gulf of Thailand.

An anonymous Thai fisherman lodged a complaint with the Thai Marine Police about a cluster of boats, operated by unidentified individuals, trespassing in their lawful fishing territory within the upper reaches of the Thai Gulf.

Following these complaints, an extensive investigation was initiated. From April 30 to May 5, the Thai Marine Police and associated agencies carried out patrols in the reported area. Nonetheless, the foreign boats managed to skillfully evade police detection and apprehension, particularly in the border region of the lower and upper Gulf of Thailand.

The police records revealed that they had detected five Vietnamese boats that were allegedly trespassing in the Gulf of Thailand, a considerable distance of 50 nautical miles (93 kilometres) from the shoreline.

Law enforcement officers demanded to inspect the foreign boats and verify any legal fishing permits. However, the group reportedly tried to escape the pursuing police.

Eventually, Thai Marine police managed to seize five fishing boats and apprehend 23 Vietnamese individuals suspected of illegal fishing during the period when fishing in Thailand’s bay was prohibited.

In addition, around 600 kilogrammes of assorted fish species were confiscated from them in the upper Gulf of Thailand, in the vicinity of Prachuap Khiri Khan. These fish were considered illegal loot.

The 23 Vietnamese individuals were initially taken into custody, and their five fishing boats were impounded at the Bang Saphan police station for subsequent legal procedures. The identities of the suspects, however, were withheld from the media.

In similar news, at the heart of Phuket’s pristine waters, two boat operators found themselves ensnared by the law on February 18. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Marine Police, in a display of concerted action, apprehended the duo for carrying out commercial fishing activities in a restricted zone and for steering an unlicensed fishing vessel.