BANGKOK – Myanmar has pardoned four Thai fishermen detained in the country since last November after they allegedly ventured into its territorial waters, Thailand announced on Friday.
One Thai fisherman drowned and two were injured last November when Myanmar’s navy chased a flotilla of Thai fishing boats in the Andaman Sea during the incident that resulted in the capture of the four Thais. Some 27 Myanmar crew also were detained.
The Thai prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, said the government was preparing for the four Thai nationals’ return soon. Neither the Thai nor Myanmar governments have said what date they will leave Myanmar.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs has informed me that on March 27, the Myanmar government issued a pardon order for all four Thai fishermen, based on the good relations between Thailand and Myanmar,” Paetongtarn said.
“I have instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs to expedite all related procedures to bring all four Thai fishermen back to their families as soon as possible. I would like to thank the Myanmar government for this decision,” she said.
Thailand and Myanmar have several disputed areas on their long land border and their maritime border off the southern tip of Myanmar and southwest Thailand, and disagreements occasionally flare up.
The four fishermen were detained on Nov. 30. One fisherman drowned after he jumped off a Thai boat during gunfire from the Myanmar navy vessel and two were injured.
Thai navy officials cited their Myanmar counterparts as saying the Thai boats had intruded up to 5.7 miles (9 kilometers) into Myanmar’s waters.
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On Dec. 16, the Kawthaung Provincial Court in Myanmar sentenced the four crew members to prison terms ranging from 4-6 years and fined them for illegal entry and unauthorized fishing.
Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa had previously said the crew would not serve prison time and would be pardoned to return to Thailand on Jan. 4, 2025.
Media reports said the pardons were issued by Myanmar’s State Administration Council, which also ordered the pardoning of three Filipinos detained in the Kawthaung prison in Myanmar.
The decree was based on international relations and humanitarian principles and was signed by Council Secretary Aung Lin Dwe, reports said.
Edited by Stephen Wright and Taejun Kang.
Pimuk Rakkanam of RFA contributed to this report.
BenarNews is an online news outlet affiliated with Radio Free Asia.
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Ruj Chuenban for BenarNews.