SIXTEEN male members of a family of Phuket sea gypsies have been arrested for poaching shellfish worth a million baht for sale to Phuket resorts.
The men of the Pramongid family from Koh Sireh, on Phuket's east coast, allegedly poached four tonnes of the acclaimed shellfish from national park waters off the coast of the southern province of Trang.
Local villagers called authorities and about 1pm yesterday, local police, Marine Police and national park rangers from Jumai Beach Park allegedly caught the family with four tonnes of tasty chicoreus ramosus, confiscating the vehicle and three longtail boats.
Phuket sea gypsies have previously been accused of stealing brightly-colored coral reef fish but this is the first time arrests have been made over shellfish.
Police said they were told that the poachers planned to sell their marine haul to Phuket resorts.
Marine Police officer Phadit Korsaman said: ''These shellfish are really tasty. That's why they are so much in demand.''
The haul was valued at a million baht, he said. Efforts will be made to return the shellfish to Trang waters.
The sixteen Pramongid family members have been named as Wee, Boonkerd, Boonnoi, Wiroj, Somrong, Sri, Kan, Dangmuchlee, U-rin, Anusorn, Nirat, Jhon, Kampon, Boondee, A-Jin and a second A-Jin.
The driver of the car, non-family member Suriya Sutthipong, 54, is also being held by Trang police.
The men of the Pramongid family from Koh Sireh, on Phuket's east coast, allegedly poached four tonnes of the acclaimed shellfish from national park waters off the coast of the southern province of Trang.
Local villagers called authorities and about 1pm yesterday, local police, Marine Police and national park rangers from Jumai Beach Park allegedly caught the family with four tonnes of tasty chicoreus ramosus, confiscating the vehicle and three longtail boats.
Phuket sea gypsies have previously been accused of stealing brightly-colored coral reef fish but this is the first time arrests have been made over shellfish.
Police said they were told that the poachers planned to sell their marine haul to Phuket resorts.
Marine Police officer Phadit Korsaman said: ''These shellfish are really tasty. That's why they are so much in demand.''
The haul was valued at a million baht, he said. Efforts will be made to return the shellfish to Trang waters.
The sixteen Pramongid family members have been named as Wee, Boonkerd, Boonnoi, Wiroj, Somrong, Sri, Kan, Dangmuchlee, U-rin, Anusorn, Nirat, Jhon, Kampon, Boondee, A-Jin and a second A-Jin.
The driver of the car, non-family member Suriya Sutthipong, 54, is also being held by Trang police.
It's good to see that both the local community and the authorities took action to protect the marine life.
Unfortunately the illegal fishing this low season has significantly hurt the marine life in Similan National park.
Since those illegal fishing boat operators are well connected, nobody has been brought to justice.
As usual, the poor without powerful friends, in this case the sea gypsies, will be prosecuted.
In Thailand rules are for people with no money.
Posted by Chris on December 27, 2010 15:15