Thailand Sinks Malaysian Vessel After It Rammed Patrol Ship

Bangkok (ANTARA) - A Royal Thai Navy patrol vessel fired warning shots at a Malaysian fishing trawler that attempted to ram it after being caught conducting illegal fishing in Thai waters.

The vessel subsequently sank and its crew were detained, said Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaiyapan on Sunday.

“On 20 February 2026, Thai fishing vessels reported to the Thai Navy’s Third Area Command that eight to ten small Malaysian trawlers were conducting illegal fishing in Thai territorial waters — eight nautical miles from Lipe Island,” Parach told reporters.

Parach added that the Navy patrol vessel dispatched to investigate the reports was forced to fire warning shots when one trawler attempted to ram it.

The patrol vessel commander, upon finding at least 10 Malaysian vessels in Thai waters based on reports from local fishermen, used a loudspeaker to order them to immediately cut their engines and prepare for inspection, the spokesman said.

“Most of the trawlers attempted to quickly leave Thai waters, but one vessel manoeuvred very close to the Navy ship with clear intent to ram it,” Parach said.

The patrol crew then fired warning shots, resulting in one crew member of the small trawler being injured. Two others were detained, and the vessel sank.

Parach added that all three crew members of the Malaysian trawler were Thai nationals working under contract in the neighbouring country.

The injured man received treatment at a hospital in Satun Province, Thailand’s southernmost region bordering Malaysia, while the other two were handed over to local law enforcement authorities and detained pursuant to a court order.