Thai police admit shooting at Vietnamese fishing boat

Thai police admitted today, September 17, that one of their patrol boats opened fire on a Vietnamese fishing boat last week.

The incident happened last Friday near Narathiwat province, 1,140km south of Bangkok.

The Nation quoted Navy Captain Niwat Shanrai, Deputy Commander of the Coast Guard in Narathiwat province: "There were signs that the ship was entering Thai territory so we tried to arrest it."

“We fired several warning shots,” Lt. Col. Shanrai admitted.

Fishermen point to bullet holes from a strange ship. (Photo: Dan Tri)

Thai Coast Guard Commander Major General Grittapol Yeesakhorn said he did not know the casualties, but the Thai side said they fired in self-defense when they saw the large number of fishing boats: “We did not intend to kill anyone. We only fired warning shots from a distance of 100 meters. We only shot at the bow of the boat.”

Thailand said a Thai officer was on board the Vietnamese fishing boat that ran aground due to engine problems. Other Vietnamese ships then came to assist.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Tran Bang Duc, Deputy Head of the Drug Crime Prevention Department, Kien Giang Provincial Border Guard Command, at about 3:30 p.m. on September 11, a total of 6 fishing boats were attacked, 1 person died on the spot and 2 others were injured.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Tran Bang Duc, the attacked fishing boats were numbered KG 94005, KG 9376, KG 94058, KG 94059, KG 94811 and KG 94812. The deceased fisherman was Ngo Van Sinh (38 years old, residing in Vinh Hoa Hiep commune, Chau Thanh district, Kien Giang), the two injured were Tran Van Sang (35 years old, residing in Hung Yen commune, Chau Thanh district, Kien Giang) and Nguyen Hung Cuong (An Hoa ward, Rach Gia city, Kien Giang).

According to the initial investigation results, the pair of fishing boats KG 94005 and KG 9376 were fishing when a ship carrying a force of about 10 people equipped with machine guns appeared and continuously attacked the two Vietnamese boats. Ship KG 9376 accelerated to escape, while ship KG 94005 and 19 crew members were captured.

Not stopping there, these ships continued to go towards the fishing grounds where Vietnamese fishing boats were fishing, they continued to use guns to shoot at the fishing boats, causing Mr. Nguyen Hung Cuong (captain of ship KG 94811) to be seriously injured and Mr. Ngo Van Sinh (captain of ship KG 94059) to die on the spot.

When they saw that someone on the Vietnamese fishing boat had died, the armed men on board left and did not shoot at any more Vietnamese fishing boats. Lieutenant Colonel Tran Bang Duc said that the act of shooting at fishermen was completely wrong and should be condemned.

According to VOV.VN