Three Vietnamese boats caught in Thai waters

BANGKOK, January 18 (TNA) - A Thai Navy force on Wednesday seized three Vietnamese fishing boats for intruding into the Thai territorial waters. The Thai Navy force, comprising a marine patrol unit and reconnaissance aircraft, impounded the three Vietnamese boats, named CM 99102 TS, CM 99207 TS and CM 99129 TS, off Kra Island's eastern coast in Thailand's southern Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, after being provided a tip-off by a Thai fishing boat that more than 10 Vietnamese fishing boats were illegally entering into the Thai waters. Up to 30 Vietnamese crew members of the seized boats have been taken into police custody for prosecution. Rear Admiral Somsak Wanitcharoen, Chief of Staff of the Thai Navy Region 2 in the southern Songkhla Province, said that he has ordered navy patrol units in the area to quickly track down other intruding foreign fishing boats which have remained at large. (TNA)