Royal Thai Navy seizes illegal Indonesian fishing boats off Phuket
Suspicious vessels off Phuket's coast nabbed for unlawful entry into Thai waters
A dramatic high-seas sting netted two Indonesian fishing boats and 18 crew members, all caught red-handed illegally operating in Thai waters — and the Royal Thai Navy wasn’t letting them get away.
The bust took place on Monday, May 19, when the HTMS Longlom intercepted the foreign boats about 80 nautical miles southwest of Phuket, within Thailand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The mission, led by the Region 3 branch of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai MECC 3), was the result of a coordinated patrol and swift response to local intelligence.
It all began with a tip-off from a local fishing network on May 15, which flagged suspicious foreign vessels operating roughly 56 miles off Phuket’s coast.
Thai MECC 3 Commander Vice Admiral Suwat Donsakul wasted no time. He launched an immediate investigation, using maritime surveillance systems and community reports to track the rogue boats.
HTMS Longlom was deployed under the government’s Seal, Stop, Save initiative — a sweeping campaign that targets illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and other maritime threats in Thai waters.
“Illegal fishing is not just theft of resources,” said Suwat. “It threatens our economy, our marine ecosystem, and our national sovereignty. We take it very seriously.”
Despite challenging sea conditions and mechanical hiccups on the return journey, the HTMS Longlom successfully escorted the seized vessels to Thap Lamu Pier by 10am yesterday, May 20.
Vice Admiral Suwat was on hand to oversee the operation as all 18 Indonesian crew members were taken into custody. A multidisciplinary investigation team was assembled on arrival, and the suspects were later transferred to Chalong Police Station for further legal proceedings.
The two fishing boats are currently being held at the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command at Cape Panwa, awaiting legal action under Thai fisheries and maritime law, reported The Phuket News.
Thai MECC 3 has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the nation’s waters and cracking down on all forms of illegal maritime activity.
Officials are urging Thai fishermen and coastal communities to continue reporting suspicious activity as part of a united effort to defend the Andaman Sea.
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