Phuket Marine Office stays quiet on fleeing fishing trawler
Tanyaluk Sakoot


The Taishan, anchored off the Phuket Deep Sea Port. Photo Royal Thai Navy 3rd Fleet.

PHUKET: -- Following last weekʼs fleeing of the illegal Antarctic fishing trawler the Kunlun, officials from the Phuket Marine Office have refused to comment on the matter other than confirming the boat left Phuket waters on September 8.

The Taishan, anchored off the Phuket Deep Sea Port. Photo Royal Thai Navy 3rd Fleet.

When contacted by The Phuket News, chief of the Phuket Marine Office, Phuriphat Teerakulpisut said, “I cannot give any comment or detail about this now.”

However, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy's Third Naval Area Command, Vice Admiral Sayan Prasongsamrej said, “After being informed about the vessel leaving the deep sea port at 10am on September 8 we sent out a helicopter and navy vessel to look for the Kunlun, or Taichan, but found nothing.

“The Royal Thai Navy were not involved when the boat was first captured and i donʼt want to interefere with other departmentʼs work so i am unable to explain to media anything else about the case.”

Jumpon Lumphikanon, Director of the Command Center for Combating Illegal Fishing added, “I know that it happened, however, our duty is monitoring, controlling and surveying for illegal fishing in Thailand. The issue of the Kunlun leaving Phuket is the responsibilty of the Phuket Marine Office.

“They informed Vichit police about the vessel escaping from the deep sea port.

“The Command Center for Combating Illegal Fishing does not have the authority to act against illegal vessels like the Marine Office does,” he said.

The boat was seized on arrival in Phuket on March 6 after its crew had successfully fled the Australian and new Zealand navies with its illegal load of toothfish.

At last report, Authorities in Phuket are waiting for word from Bangkok on what to do with the alleged illegal fishing vessel.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-marine-office-stays-quiet-on-fleeing-fishing-trawler-54101.php


-- Phuket News 2015-09-14

Sounds, very fishy!

Conveniently sailed into the Phuket Triangle.

What a surprise, no one knows anything and it's another dept's responsibility anyway.

Navy couldn't find it, they didn't see hundreds of Rohingyas being trafficked either.

It off loaded millions of bahts worth of illegally caught snowfish,, all government departments paid off, then set sail, simple.

May be the navy should look for an oil slick.

Pah; if only they had Submarines they could use this vessel for target practice......that is if they could ever find it anyway even if it was anchored up a local creek !

Corrupt through and through. No hope for this country!

Where are those submarines when you need them. Could have followed the boat round and round the entire sea!

Another win for Khun Phuripat.

I'd lay odds that the same reason the jet skis are allowed to stay on the beach is the same reason this boat mysteriously went poof......................... I wonder why this office doesn't get the annual shake up. Well actually I don't .....................

So, a helicopter and naval vessel were dispatched, but that didn't interfere with another department.

BS.

When it comes to this particular office it's all BS. Warnings after warnings, after final warnings, then more warning in regards to all the marine accidents. How many "final warnings" have been issued after jet ski crashes, jet skis running over people, deaths and yet still, there they are.

As an experiment they should remove Mr P and see if things suddenly get better.

As an experiment they should remove Mr P and see if things suddenly get better.

Don't you think " they" have an interest in seeing he stays? Likely the biggest earner on Phuket. I'd expand on my theory about military forces in Thailand and corruption, but it's now a criminal offense.

However, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy's Third Naval Area Command, Vice Admiral Sayan Prasongsamrej said, “After being informed about the vessel leaving the deep sea port at 10am on September 8 we sent out a helicopter and navy vessel to look for the Kunlun, or Taichan, but found nothing.

Er, it's called RADAR. Turn it on and look at it.

As an experiment they should remove Mr P and see if things suddenly get better.

Why experiment?

This t**t should have gone a long time ago.

Amazing how every other gov't office here has the transfer merry go round, but not Marine office 5 which has had a shoddy reputation for a number of years with a certain guy running this group. He must be geting high marks from his superiors.