Myanmar has freed 31 fishing vessel crew, including four Thai nationals who were taken into custody after Myanmar patrol boats attacked a flotilla of Thai fishing vessels off Ranong province last weekend.
They were handed over yesterday in Kawthaung, Myanmar, and are expected to return to Thailand’s Ranong province today.
They have already completed Myanmar's immigration process and the Third Naval Area Command declared in its Facebook page that they are all safe, sharing images of the crew boarding a ship, identified as Sor Charoenchai 8, which was seized by Myanmar during the attack.
The circles on the photos were made by the Third Naval Command
The attack on November 30 resulted in the death of one Thai national.
Meanwhile, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said that officials from the Consular Department will travel to Ranong to receive the fishing crew, the release of whom followed tense negotiations, including the summoning of the Myanmar ambassador to Thailand by the Foreign Ministry to explain the incident.
Thai authorities, including the Defence Ministry and the Navy, accused Myanmar of using excessive force and not adhering to the rules of engagement.
They say that, if Myanmar believed the Thai fishing vessels were operating in its waters, it should have fired warning shots.
Inspections of vessels that escaped the attack, however, revealed bullet holes in the captain’s cabin, indicating that the no such warning shots were fired.
