- Photo: The Nation/ANN
YANGON: Myanmar has yet to return the four Thai fishermen detained after the Myanmar navy's shooting of a Thai fishing boat on Monday (Dec 2).
The incident involved the Thai fishing vessel Sor Charoenchai 8, which was fired upon by the Myanmar navy on December 2.
The attack resulted in one death, one injury, and the detention of 31 crew members, including four Thai nationals.
Thai authorities have announced plans to bring the detained Thai crew back and have prepared to receive them at the Ranong-Kawthaung permanent border crossing. However, the return has yet to materialise.
On Saturday (Dec 7) morning, there were no officials present to receive the Thai crew, confirming speculation that the release would not occur over the weekend because of the Myanmar authorities' suspension of work on Saturdays and Sundays.
A source said the case might require a court hearing in Kawthaung, Myanmar. Given the weekend, there is no clarity on whether a release will be granted.
However, if an urgent directive is issued from Naypyidaw, the four fishermen could be released sooner.
For now, the situation remains uncertain, and the process depends on the Myanmar government. In the past, similar cases have seen crew members released as late as 10pm.
Somsub Jittatham, president of the Ranong Fisheries Association, said the release of the detained fishermen has been delayed because local officials claim no formal release order has been issued.
Reflecting on similar incidents from the past decade, Somsub said Thai crew members detained by Myanmar were typically sentenced to at least five years in prison. However, this case seems to be progressing faster, raising hopes for an earlier resolution.
“Despite this, concerns remain that the issue may fade from attention if not pursued urgently,” Somsub said.
Thawee Paeyai, president of the Phang Nga Fisheries Association, added that the families of the four detained fishermen are anxiously awaiting news. Their detention has now entered its sixth day. Although the Thai government is reportedly working to secure their release, families will remain worried until the crew members regain their freedom.
“A formal request has been submitted to the State Security Commission, Thai Border Affairs Committee, and other national strategic reform agencies to accelerate efforts,” Thawee said.
The four detained fishermen and the crew member who lost his life all hail from Phang Nga province. The deceased, a 24-year-old man, was on his first – and tragically last – fishing expedition. On Saturday, a funeral ceremony was held at Nam Khem village in Phang Nga, attended by association leaders and local residents who paid their respects.
Major-General Thanathip Sawangsaeng, spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, reported that the Thai-Myanmar Local Border Committee (TBC) has coordinated with its Myanmar counterpart to seek clarity on the release of the four detained Thai fishermen.
The Myanmar TBC responded that the case remains in the legal process in Kawthaung, with the fishermen being held in a controlled facility. A formal order from their commanding authorities is required before discussions between the Thai and Myanmar TBCs can proceed.
As a result, there is still no clear timeline for the release of the Thai fishermen.
The four Thai crew members are being held separately from the 27 Myanmar crew members, in accordance with Myanmar's investigation procedures.
Thailand has also lodged a formal protest regarding the actions of the Myanmar patrol boat through the TBC process.
Regarding the investigation into whether the 15 Thai fishing vessels crossed into Myanmar’s territorial waters, authorities confirmed that vessel-tracking systems can verify their locations at the time of the incident. - The Nation/ANN
