Thais kidnapped in Malacca Strait<\/p>\n
MALAYSIA: Armed pirates stormed a Thai-owned tanker in the
\nMalacca Strait and abducted two crewmen in the first such attack
\nin the busy shipping lane in nearly two months, a maritime
\nwatchdog said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The late Wednesday attack showed that pirates were undeterred
\nby naval patrols by Indonesia and Malaysia in their waters, said
\nNoel Choong, chief of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy
\nreporting center in Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n
At least five gun-wielding bandits in a fishing boat boarded
\nthe Thai vessel, which was carrying oil products, after first
\nfiring several warning shots in the waters off northern peninsula
\nMalaysia, Choong said.<\/p>\n
The pirates, believed to be Indonesians, kidnapped two of the
\ntanker's 16 Thai crew members and stole trading documents before
\nescaping to an unknown location, he said. They later contacted
\nthe ship's owner to demand a ransom, which will likely be paid,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The attack took place close to the area where pirates abducted
\ntwo Japanese and one Filipino from a Japanese-registered tug boat
\nin March before releasing them unharmed after six days. It was
\nnot clear if the same gang was behind Wednesday's attack, Choong
\nsaid. -- AP<\/p>",
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