PHUKET: Acting on a tip-off, the Thai Army today raided three ships being used to smuggle Rohingya from Burma to southern Thailand and arrested captains and crews.
Appearing just like fishing vessels from the outside, the ships had been modified to hold up to 300 people below decks as human cargo.
Today's raid came in Ranong, the port on the border between Thailand and Burma.
Two Thai captains and a total of 16 Burmese were being held for further questioning by the Army's Internal Security Operations Command, which is responsible for border security.
With them on the raid, led by the Ranong-based Isoc commander, Colonel Taveeporn Kanatong, went officials from the Marine 5 Office.
It's been known for two years that larger vessels are being used to transport Rohingya south from Bangladesh and Burma but today's raid was the first confirmation that ''industrial strength'' human trafficking is taking place along the Andaman Sea coast.
The large ships can operate year-round and stay further out from shore. Smaller vessels ferry cargoes of Rohingya out to them.
Today's raid is being reported widely in the Thai media. Colonel Taveeporn was also able to confirm that the larger vessels enabled the traffickers to turn the business into a year-round operation.
Once, because smaller, rickety boats were used, the Rohingya were only able to flee Burma in the ''safe'' sailing season between October and April.
The large ships can stay further out from shore and smaller vessels ferry loads of Rohingya out to them.
Numbers of Rohingya fleeing Burma have grown since violence intensified against them in Rakhine state in June 2012.
Chris Lewa, coordinator of the Arakan Project, a human rights group, recently told the New York Times that she estimated about 80,000 Rohingya have fled Burma since then.
As well as those who die at sea along the way, Rohingya also perish in secret jungle camps along the Thai-Malaysia border. Traffickers are known to beat them while they talk by telephone with relatives to extort the asking price of 60,000 baht to cross to Malaysia.
There were no Rohingya on the vessels impounded today. The raiders were told as many as 300 boatpeople had been deposited on an island off the coast to await transport further south.
Appearing just like fishing vessels from the outside, the ships had been modified to hold up to 300 people below decks as human cargo.
Today's raid came in Ranong, the port on the border between Thailand and Burma.
Two Thai captains and a total of 16 Burmese were being held for further questioning by the Army's Internal Security Operations Command, which is responsible for border security.
With them on the raid, led by the Ranong-based Isoc commander, Colonel Taveeporn Kanatong, went officials from the Marine 5 Office.
It's been known for two years that larger vessels are being used to transport Rohingya south from Bangladesh and Burma but today's raid was the first confirmation that ''industrial strength'' human trafficking is taking place along the Andaman Sea coast.
The large ships can operate year-round and stay further out from shore. Smaller vessels ferry cargoes of Rohingya out to them.
Today's raid is being reported widely in the Thai media. Colonel Taveeporn was also able to confirm that the larger vessels enabled the traffickers to turn the business into a year-round operation.
Once, because smaller, rickety boats were used, the Rohingya were only able to flee Burma in the ''safe'' sailing season between October and April.
The large ships can stay further out from shore and smaller vessels ferry loads of Rohingya out to them.
Numbers of Rohingya fleeing Burma have grown since violence intensified against them in Rakhine state in June 2012.
Chris Lewa, coordinator of the Arakan Project, a human rights group, recently told the New York Times that she estimated about 80,000 Rohingya have fled Burma since then.
As well as those who die at sea along the way, Rohingya also perish in secret jungle camps along the Thai-Malaysia border. Traffickers are known to beat them while they talk by telephone with relatives to extort the asking price of 60,000 baht to cross to Malaysia.
There were no Rohingya on the vessels impounded today. The raiders were told as many as 300 boatpeople had been deposited on an island off the coast to await transport further south.
What isn't being reported is that the Police already know what/who/where the boats are. My Burmese friend has told me how the Police are paid to let them through, and when they want to go back to Burma the Police are paid again and they get a ride back with no prosecution.
Posted by Tbs on March 25, 2014 08:29
Editor Comment:
Is your friend a stateless boatperson? Burmese usually come and go to Thailand by land, seldom by sea. There is no point in confusing the two migrations. Burmese laborers are wanted in Thailand, Rohingya are not. There's a huge difference.