Thailand’s Labour Ministry is coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to step up efforts to bring home about 50 Thai fishermen stranded on two trawlers off the coast of Somalia’s Bosaso province, Labour Minister M.R, Chatu Mongkol Sonakul said today.

He disclosed that Thai ambassador to Kenya, Mr. Cherdkiat Atthakor, had spoken with one of the fishermen by phone and was told that the owner of the stranded trawlers has sent additional food and water to the crews.

The minister said that, of the 17 Thai fishermen on board one of the two trawlers, only 4 of them are members of the Fund to Assist Job Seekers Abroad.

There are 33 other Thais on board the other vessel and their identities are not yet known, said the minister. There are also 10 fishermen of the other nationalities working on the two trawlers.

According to Labour ministerial regulations, fund members will be eligible to financial support, not exceeding 30,000 baht, to cover travel, accommodation, food, health care and other necessary expenditure.