Ranong fishing boat owners sell vessels

[webfact]

Ranong fishing boat owners sell vessels

BANGKOK: -- The Thai owners of fishing boats in the southern province of Ranong has sold over 10 vessels to Myanmar buyers to survive from the authorities' crackdown on illegal fishing, said Thawee Boonying, president of the province's fishery association.

He said that several owners who have no registration papers could not shoulder the financial burden. Without the papers, their boats cannot leave ports without risking actions. Meanwhile, they are charged Bt500 a day as docking fee per vessel, aside from expenses for the crew.

They have put their vessels on sale and most of the buyers are from Myanmar, he said. A 100-tonne trawler can fetch Bt2.5-Bt3 million.

"Selling the vessels is the best thing they can do now. They cannot venturer into the Thai waters without the papers. Myanmar also closes its waters while Indonesia toughens fishing rules. Myanmar operators show interest in the boats because ship building is not allowed in the country. Thai operators now can either quit or use the proceeds to buy vessels with legal papers," Thawee said.

Thailand’s crackdown is to comply with the European Union’s regulations on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Of the total 7,000 fishing boats in Thailand, some 3,000 are still not registered with authorities. Earlier, fishermen and vessel owners staged protests over the tightening of regulations.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Ranong-fishing-boat-owners-sell-vessels-30265078.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-23

[thesetat2013]

These fisherman sound really good at spinning tales! How can it be cheaper just to sell their boats? If they can not get their boats registered it is because they refuse to follow the law. Does anyone think if they bought a new boat with their money that they would follow the law with that one. The excited see they come up with to refuse to follow the laws are ridiculous!

[jerojero]

Well well.... The owner rats desert their sinking ships when their slave labour is yanked. Good riddance to scum businessmen like these.

[bendejo]

More likely now that the eyes of the world are on them for slavery/human trafficking they can say "oh, not us, we no have boat."

[Emster23]

"He said that several owners who have no registration papers could not shoulder the financial burden." Registration papers, like those proving "this is my boat"? Ever buy a car without registration papers? Or are these papers asserting "No slaves were harmed in the catching of these fish"?

[Americano555]

The government official who has the most fishing boats WINS.

[toybits]

Let me get this straight. Am I supposed to feel pity for the boat owners who used slave labor and fished illegally in the seas? ARE THEY KIDDING? They could burn in h e l l for all I care.

[alfalfa19]

Very good. Hopefully many more slavers, crybabies and blowhards will follow suit.

[Halion]

Just goes to show the fortitude of this nation. The slightest pressure regarding compliance and they winge, scream and fold like a deck of cards

[Pinot]

Given the opportunity, man will always overfish the sea.

[NickJ]

They are very lucky to be able to sell there boats. They should have been confiscated and sunk.

[FangFerang]

The article was ironic hilarity. One tidbit caught my eye though "Myanmar operators show interest in the boats because ship building is not allowed in the country. "

[Kannikapor88]

Anyone feeling sorry for these creeps ... No one ... oh well, let them rot

[Thai at Heart]

So foreign owners are allowed to operate Thai fishing vessels?

[Basil B]

Maybe just a scam...

Bt2-Bt3mil seems low to me possible they are just transferring to nominee Burmese owners and will fish under the Burmese flag.

[sammygood]

anyone thinks they might eventually be used for human trafficking ?

[heybruce]

You can sell boats in Thailand without registration papers?

I think I'll go to a marina and sell a few unoccupied boats before the owners return.

[SOTIRIOS]

.......as long as they did not sell the slaves along with the boats...

[MaiChai]

Ranong huh? Sell to a Burmese, reflag as Burmese; problem sorted! All obstacles overcome!