RTN Seizes Vessel Smuggling 8,000 Litres of Diesel off Songkhla

Picture courtesy of Daily News.

The Royal Thai Navy’s Second Naval Area Command has intercepted a modified fishing vessel carrying 8,000 litres of smuggled diesel fuel in the Gulf of Thailand, around 60 kilometres off the coast of Ranot district, Songkhla.

The operation took place on 29 August when patrol boat Tor.266, supported by a special operations unit and the Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (MECC) Region 2, boarded and searched the suspicious vessel. Three crew members were found on board and taken into custody. Both the fuel and the vessel were seized and escorted to the Songkhla naval base for legal proceedings.

Naval officials said the vessel had been illegally selling diesel without customs clearance. The seizure forms part of a wider crackdown on maritime crime, particularly smuggling operations that undermine Thailand’s economic and security interests.

The Royal Thai Navy stated that the action reflects the Commander-in-Chief’s 2025 directive, which emphasises protecting national maritime resources, tackling illegal activities at sea and safeguarding local communities.

According to the navy, this was the second such interception within a month, bringing the total amount of illicit fuel seized in the region to 28,000 litres.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Daily News 2025-09-01