Ranong: Thai Navy rescues fishermen from police fusillade

[webfact]

Thai Navy Rescues Fishermen From Police Fusillade
By Khaosod English


Thongbai Thamthong's ship, "Gao Baramee Por," was hit by more than 30 bullets on 8 December by policemen in the Andaman Sea.

PHANG NGA — A fisherman in southern Thailand says a police patrol ship opened fire on his boat without provocation in the Andaman Sea last week.

Thongbai Thamthong, 46, captain of "Kao Baramee Por" crab boat, said his ship was hit by more than 30 bullets early on 8 December before a Royal Thai Navy ship intervened and ordered the policemen to stop firing.

Thongbai said his crew were fishing for crab, in waters well within Thailand’s maritime territory, when his boat's radar reportedly showed an unidentified ship approaching.

"I thought it was an armed foreign ship ... because in that region there have been many incidents of armed boats robbing Thai fishermen," Thongbai told Khaosod.

According to Thongbai, the unidentified boat continued to trail him for nearly two hours until 7am, when gunmen on the boat suddenly opened fire at him and his crew.

"We were a half nautical mile away from each other, that's when a gunshot rang. I was very afraid so I tried to escape, but the ship kept firing at my boat," he said, adding that dozens of bullets struck the radar and portside of his boat.


Thongbai Thamthong pointing at bullet holes on his ship in Rangong province, 11 Jan 2015.

"I was thinking, I would be dead if I stayed here," Thongbai recalled. He said he counted at least 30 bullet holes on his ship.

His crew managed to radio a nearby navy patrol ship, whose officers arrived quickly and detained the crew of the boat that was firing at Thongbai’s ship.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1421041565

-- Khaosod English 2015-01-12

[Bocking]

I'm sure the shore-based Ranong Police Officers have a perfectly good explanation for this action ... Still waiting

[h90]

The last time I was there I saw the police patrol boats in a condition that they won't be able to leave their place (hardwired with electric, Satelite TV, etc).

(But I just assume it was the police, could be also some National Park police or similar).

My theory at this time was, they sleep all the day in the boat and in the evening they burn the diesel they get for the boat in their pickups.

[sweatalot]

" in that region there have been many incidents of armed boats robbing Thai fishermen,"

seems they caught the robbers

[Baerboxer]

" in that region there have been many incidents of armed boats robbing Thai fishermen,"

seems they caught the robbers

Well done Royal Thai Navy for capturing pirates in the act.

[ggt]

"I thought it was an armed foreign ship ... because in that region there have been many incidents of armed boats robbing Thai fishermen,"

Maybe they have just discovered who has REALLY be firing at fishing boats in that area...

Why do the police have gun boats?

[Queenslander]

BIB…Nissed as a Pewt Again????

[tomacht8]

He said he also found it curious that the police officers were from a local station in Ranong province, whereas patrols in the Andaman Sea are normally only conducted by Marine Police.

Police pirates privately on the prowl?

[bluegum]

Captain of the boat "said his ship was hit by more than 30 bullets"

"The police officers reportedly told the Navy captain they were on a mission to intercept human traffickers in the Andaman Sea, and mistook Thongbai's ship for a vessel smuggling Rohingya refugees."

There are holes in both the boat and the police officers' explanation. It speaks volumes for police lack of humanity towards the Rohingya.

Edited January 12, 2015 by bluegum

[Ulic]

I hope for a follow-up to this story. It could get very interesting.

[anon022]

So they thought they were firing at human traffickers? Sounds fishy to me! Think it's a load of crab.

Edited January 12, 2015 by Impossible

[Doc46]

"I thought it was an armed foreign ship ... because in that region there have been many incidents of armed boats robbing Thai fishermen,"

Maybe they have just discovered who has REALLY be firing at fishing boats in that area...

Why do the police have gun boats?

To protect their of shore probable not so legal businesses so to speak ,they just got caught in time,lucky the fisherman could call for help from the Navy,before the radio got shot out.

[webfact]

'Boat-Shooting' Cops Surrender To Police
By Khaosod English

PHANG NGA — The six police officers who allegedly shot at a fishing boat in the Andaman Sea last week finally turned themselves in today after a local police commander demanded they comply with the order.

The six men are wanted for shooting at a fishing boat called "Gao Baramee Por" off the coast of western Thailand on 7 January 2015. According to the boat’s crew, the six police officers fired more than 30 shots at their ship without warning, and only stopped when a nearby Royal Thai Navy ship came to the fishermen's rescue.

Upon being detained by Navy sailors, the six men identified themselves as police officers from Ranong Police Station, and claimed they thought the fishermen were smuggling Rohingya refugees. The boat owner later filed charges against the six officers with police in Phang Ngao province.

However, the six officers did not surrender themselves to Phang Nga police until today, when Pol.Lt.Gen. Decha Butrnampetch, commander of the 8th Region Police, realized that they had not yet reported and ordered them to do so at Kuraburi Police Station at 11.00 am.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1421396442


-- Khaosod English 2015-01-16

[zaphod reborn]

So, because the police thought there were Rohingya refugees on the fishing boat, the police officers thought they were justified in shooting 30 rounds at them? That's a brilliant defense.

[NeilSA1]

Another misleading headline. The officers only 'surrendered' "when Pol.Lt.Gen. Decha Butrnampetch, commander of the 8th Region Police, realized that they had not yet reported and ordered them to do so..." Not a matter of voluntary handing themselves over. Hope they don't get any brownie points for their surrender.