PHUKET: Human traffickers had been involved in the sale of Rohingya boatpeople north of Phuket, the Commander of Thai Navy Three, Vice Admiral Tharathorn Khajitsuwan said today.
Vice Admiral Tharathorn, who oversees Navy bases on Phuket and in Phang Nga, said he could not elaborate because issues of national security were involved.
But he did say that investigations were continuing.
Phuketwan and the BBC have been told that a group of 73 Rohingya men, women and children, apprehended off Phuket on January 1, were transferred to traffickers soon after for 1.5 million baht.
The group later arrived in Malaysia, having been put back to sea off Thailand in another boat.
Boatloads of Rohingya that arrived later in January have now been transferred from the Phang Nga fishing port of Kuraburi, where hundreds came ashore last month, to detention camps in Kanchanaburi.
A total of 112 men and boys have been transferred to Phang Nga Immigration centre, in Phang Nga Town.
Forty-one women and children are being sent to the Phang Nga Shelter for Children and Families in Khukkhak, Takuapa.
Two extra staff from Ranong and two from Nakkorn Si Thammarat have been sent to the Khukkhak refuge.
Vice Admiral Tharathorn, who oversees Navy bases on Phuket and in Phang Nga, said he could not elaborate because issues of national security were involved.
But he did say that investigations were continuing.
Phuketwan and the BBC have been told that a group of 73 Rohingya men, women and children, apprehended off Phuket on January 1, were transferred to traffickers soon after for 1.5 million baht.
The group later arrived in Malaysia, having been put back to sea off Thailand in another boat.
Boatloads of Rohingya that arrived later in January have now been transferred from the Phang Nga fishing port of Kuraburi, where hundreds came ashore last month, to detention camps in Kanchanaburi.
A total of 112 men and boys have been transferred to Phang Nga Immigration centre, in Phang Nga Town.
Forty-one women and children are being sent to the Phang Nga Shelter for Children and Families in Khukkhak, Takuapa.
Two extra staff from Ranong and two from Nakkorn Si Thammarat have been sent to the Khukkhak refuge.
Phuketwan continually calls for the Navy to take control of policing the beaches of Phuket, championing them as some sort of incorruptible force. Perhaps time for a rethink on that.
Posted by chrisT on February 2, 2013 00:38
Editor Comment:
Do you have some knowledge that we don't, ChrisT, or is this just your usual foolish guesswork?