Thaksin says RI justified in sinking Thai trawler
Thaksin says RI justified in sinking Thai trawler
Agencies, Jakarta
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra admitted on Monday that
Thai fishing trawlers had trespassed into Indonesian waters and
that the sinking of a vessel with a Thai crew here last week was
justified.
"It's true that our fishermen have violated (Indonesian)
waters without seeking any permission or license, they have
arrested five Thai fishing trawlers so far," Thaksin told
reporters as quoted by Agence France-Presse.
Thaksin said the Indonesian navy had sunk the latest offending
boat on Friday after evacuating all 18 men on board.
"The Indonesian navy sank the Thai fishing trawler to set an
example to others that they should not violate its territory," he
said.
Indonesia has been applying strict measures against illegal
fishing as it costs the country more than a million dollars
annually.
In the past week, the Indonesian Navy sunk two Thai trawlers
and confiscated four others in the country's territorial waters.
More than five Thai boats were also seized by Indonesian
authorities last month.
Thaksin said he was warning Thai fishermen against fishing
illegally in the waters of neighboring nations.
"The Indonesian authorities have repeatedly informed us that
they are willing to give licenses to us as long as the fishermen
pay fishing fees ... but Thai fishermen continue to violate their
territory," Thaksin said.
"If we continue to steal property from our neighbors, they
have to teach us a lesson to deter us from further violations,"
he said.
Indonesian authorities had released 23 crew members after
negotiations with the Thai government, Thai Foreign Minister
Suraikart Sathirathai said as quoted by Associated Press.
"They have the right to seize the trawlers ... all we can do
is to appeal for cooperation from fishermen not to violate other
countries' territorial integrity," he said.
Thaksin said the Thai government will pay the air fare and
other costs to bring back the fishermen, who were scheduled to
arrive back in Thailand later Monday. He declined to say if they
would face legal action at home.
Thailand's fishermen often encroach upon the seas of
neighboring countries including Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and
Indonesia, creating diplomatic headaches for the government.
Scores of Thai nationals have been caught stealing fish in
Indonesian waters over the past few years as the kingdom's own
fishing stocks have become depleted through over-fishing.