Boat carrying scores of migrants found in Thai waters: AFP reporter

[webfact]

Migrant boat found in Thai waters: AFP reporter
AFP

Andaman Sea : -- A boat crammed with scores of Rohingya migrants -- including many young children -- was found drifting in Thai waters Thursday, according to an AFP reporter at the scene, with passengers saying several people had died over the last few days.

Dozens of visibly weak-looking people were on the deck of the stricken vessel, which was found apparently adrift several kilometres off the southern Thai island of Koh Lipe, in the Andaman Sea.

"About 10 people died during the journey. We threw their bodies into the water," one migrant shouted in Rohingya to a boat carrying reporters.

"There are 300 of us.... we have been at sea for two months. We want to go to Malaysia but we have not reached there yet."

A group of scarf-wearing woman huddled on the deck cried as reporters approached, the AFP reporter said, adding many of the passengers were young children, some seemingly toddlers.

The words "We are Myanmar Rohingya" were daubed in English on a black flag tethered to the boat, while a large tarpaulin had been erected to protect the stricken and weak migrants from the sun.

There was no immediate sign of Thai authorities who have apparently been scouring the area for a number of vessels laden with migrants adrift in the area.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-05-14

[Plutojames88]

Very sad.....and god knows what the Thai navy have orders to do

[In the jungle]

It's the headline on the BBC news now.

Eye witness report by Jonathan Head.

Pretty grim reading.

[EricBerg]

"There was no immediate sign of Thai authorities who have apparently been scouring the area for a number of vessels laden with migrants adrift in the area."

The boat was visited by Thai authorities and denied access to Thailand. The crew already had left the boat (may have very well been tipped off).

Thai authorities refuse the boat entry. About ten people already died on board. No food or water. People drinking urine. Nobody to operate the boat. How the hell do Thai authorities think about these poor people? Like insects that can/should die? It's an outrage!!!

One can judge a society on how it treats it's sick, old, prisoners and refugees. I was delighted when the Kingdom got a national health insurance. Now they are showing true face with their treatment of refugees??? Perhaps not only the traffickers should be hunted down and punished. Anyone deciding and ordering to let those people rot and die commits a similar crime.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32733963

Edited May 14, 2015 by EricBerg

[Mosha]

Malaysia and Indonesia are turning them back, why? Cos they are Shia.

[LuckyLew]

I am speechless that no one is willing to help these people

All leaders of countries in the area should be ashamed and embarrassed

May all those making the decision to push them back to sea all rot in hell

[T_Dog]

"There was no immediate sign of Thai authorities who have apparently been scouring the area for a number of vessels laden with migrants adrift in the area."

The boat was visited by Thai authorities and denied access to Thailand. The crew already had left the boat (may have very well been tipped off).

Thai authorities refuse the boat entry. About ten people already died on board. No food or water. People drinking urine. Nobody to operate the boat. How the hell do Thai authorities think about these poor people? Like insects that can/should die? It's an outrage!!!

One can judge a society on how it treats it's sick, old, prisoners and refugees. I was delighted when the Kingdom got a national health insurance. Now they are showing true face with their treatment of refugees??? Perhaps not only the traffickers should be hunted down and punished. Anyone deciding and ordering to let those people rot and die commits a similar crime.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32733963

It is a chance for Thailand to show some deep Buddhist compassion for fellow humans. Let's hope they are right now rushing a boat out there with food and water as that is a rather obvious priority.

[oneday]

Very sad. I'm afraid 100's will die given the apathy in this part of the world.

[maidee]

now i know why thailand wants submarines

so they can tow them secretly to other countries

[Jeffreyake]

Thanks God Thai authorities finally started to work in interests of Thai citizen and not follow advises of misters in pith helmets from American NGOs. Dear Western Tourists, if your governments are so kind, why don't you take them to your homeland, and feed them as much as yo want instead of giving unsolicited advices to independent Asian governments?

Thais and Malays don't need them in their countries. Rohingya knew that nobody need them in Malaysia or Thailand but still departed - because they didn't care if they are desirable or not. So it is their own fault. End of story.

Edited May 15, 2015 by Jeffreyake

[DM07]

Thanks God Thai authorities finally started to work in interests of Thai citizen and not follow advises of misters in pith helmets from American NGOs. Dear Western Tourists, if your governments are so kind, why don't you take them to your homeland, and feed them as much as yo want instead of giving unsolicited advices to independent Asian governments?

Thais and Malays don't need them in their countries. Rohingya knew that nobody need them in Malaysia or Thailand but still departed - because they didn't care if they are desirable or not. So it is their own fault. End of story.

Oh look...Super- Troll is awake!

You should really, seriously be ashamed!

But I know you are not!

So let me say this: I really hope, you will never find yourself and your family in the dire need for help!

But if you do, I hope you only meet emphatic people like yourselves!

Did I say emphatic? I meant pathetic!

[soihok]

The real criminals are the Governments of the countries these people are running from.

[Basil B]

Very sad.....and god knows what the Thai navy have orders to do

From reports on the radio (BBC) this morning, the Thai Navy boarded with more food and water fixed the engine which had been disabled by the crew before abandoning the ship and its passengers, gave some of the passengers rudimentary training in boat handling, towed them out into international waters and told them which way was south.

It's the headline on the BBC news now.

Eye witness report by Jonathan Head.

Pretty grim reading.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-32737146

The real criminals are the Governments of the countries these people are running from.

Yes, the only answer is with the UN but nothing will be resolved because Russia and China do not have a problem with Migrants.

Edited May 15, 2015 by Basil B

[Bluespunk]

From the BBC

"Lt Comm Veerapong Nakprasit of the Thai navy said those on board "did not want to come to Thailand so we gave them food, medicine, fuel and water".

"We did our humanitarian duty. They wanted to go to a third country," he told Reuters. "This is not a push back because these people wanted to go."

[Scott]

Inflammatory post and replies removed.

[NCC1701A]

so good on thailand... like i said give them some water and bag of old rice and a push in the right direction.

[quidnunc]

Malaysia and Indonesia are turning them back, why? Cos they are Shia.

Untrue. The Royhinga are Sunni. Nice try in attempting to inject the tragedy with anti-Moslem claptrap.

[T_Dog]

From the BBC

"Lt Comm Veerapong Nakprasit of the Thai navy said those on board "did not want to come to Thailand so we gave them food, medicine, fuel and water".

"We did our humanitarian duty. They wanted to go to a third country," he told Reuters. "This is not a push back because these people wanted to go."

They probably did not want to enter Thailand as from Jonah Fisher's report, Thailand appears to be the center of the slavery web. It is good though that Thailand gave them food and water. "In Thailand, they get firmly in the grid of human trafficking."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32747616

Edited May 15, 2015 by T_Dog

[jspill]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32747616

[Jeffreyake]

From the BBC

"Lt Comm Veerapong Nakprasit of the Thai navy said those on board "did not want to come to Thailand so we gave them food, medicine, fuel and water".

"We did our humanitarian duty. They wanted to go to a third country," he told Reuters. "This is not a push back because these people wanted to go."

I applaud

good idea

let Malaysia deal with them

Edited May 15, 2015 by Jeffreyake