Thai Navy Seizes Illegal Cambodian Trawler in Trat Waters, Aiding Local Fishermen

Coastal residents in Trat woke up to firm proof that illegal fishing is more than a policy debate: a Cambodian trawler, shackled to a Navy pier, illustrates the growing struggle over dwindling marine resources and national sovereignty.

Snapshot of the Seizure

• Cambodian crew of 4 detained for unauthorised fishing 7 nautical miles off Trat

• HTMS Thepha made the interception during a routine patrol

• Coordinates place the arrest 2,000 yards inside Thailand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

• Officers say 3 companion vessels slipped away toward the maritime border

• The case triggers multiple Thai statutes on fisheries, immigration and national security

Why Trat Locals Are Watching Closely

Fishing is the backbone of many villages from Khlong Yai to Laem Ngop. Every incursion chips away at stocks relied upon by small-scale boats using legal gear. A senior official at the provincial fisheries office told The Nation that catch volumes for blue swimmer crab have plunged 40 % in 10 years, amplifying concern whenever foreign vessels enter Thai waters with fine-mesh nets.

The Moment at Sea

HTMS Thepha, part of the Navy’s Gulf of Thailand Protection Task Group, spotted the unmarked wooden trawler at 11°33.2604′ N, 102°50.2803′ E around 11 a.m. Officers reported no flag, no radio callsign and nets already in the water. After a short chase, sailors boarded, cut the engine and ordered the four crewmen—aged 22-39—onto the deck.

The captain acknowledged crossing the invisible EEZ line, saying he “followed three sister boats.” Those boats turned east when the Thai warship appeared, a tactic seen repeatedly in the border area.

Inside the Navy’s 2026 Readiness Drive

Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet has branded 2026 the “Year of Combat Readiness,” funnelling extra fuel and flight hours to patrol squadrons. While most of the Navy’s 43.5 B-baht allocation goes to a new frigate, ฿287 M is earmarked for joint anti-IUU operations with ศรชล. (Maritime Enforcement Command Center).

Those funds support:

Satellite tracking of suspected poachers

Rapid-response boarding teams drawn from the Sea-Air-Land (SEAL) unit

Legal liaison officers ensuring watertight prosecutions

Ecological Stakes in the Gulf

Marine scientists warn that unchecked illegal trawling accelerates “fishing down the food web,” where boats scoop up juveniles before they reproduce. Dr Sak-anan Plathong of Prince of Songkla University says the Gulf has already lost over 70 % of its reef fish biomass since the 1960s. Heavy gear drags over seagrass beds, undermining nurseries for squid and crab that feed both wildlife and local markets.

For Thailand, the issue is no longer just conservation—it is food security. With seafood consumption averaging 33 kg per person annually, every illegal haul siphons protein from domestic plates.

Legal Road Ahead for the Crew

The four suspects were handed to Khlong Yai police under three separate laws:

• The 2015 Royal Ordinance on Fisheries

• The 1942 Territorial Fisheries Act

• The 1979 Immigration ActConvictions can bring fines up to ฿30 M and prison terms. Officials say the boat itself—now impounded—may be sold at auction, with proceeds partly funneled into a victim-fund for Thai small-scale fishers.

Diplomatic Undercurrents

Bangkok and Phnom Penh maintain a cooperative fisheries committee, yet the EEZ boundary in the eastern Gulf remains undelimited. Thai diplomats plan to raise the latest breach at a February working group, according to a Foreign Ministry source. Analysts note that visible enforcement, such as Friday’s arrest, strengthens Thailand’s hand in talks set to cover joint development of offshore resources.

Community Engagement: The Other Line of Defence

Trat’s Satuk Park Rangers and village headmen run a WhatsApp line where local captains can ping Navy liaisons in real time. Since its launch in 2024, the chat group has led to 17 successful interceptions. “The Navy can’t be everywhere, but fishermen are,” says Phanumas Samran, a third-generation crabber from Ban Tha Sen.

What to Watch Next

• Court proceedings in Trat Province Court could set a benchmark for fines on foreign trawlers.• Satellite pings from the 3 escaped boats may reveal new hiding grounds near Koh Kong, Cambodia.• Budget debate in parliament this March will decide whether the anti-IUU fund grows beyond ฿287 M.• EU seafood audits resume mid-2026; visible crackdowns help Thailand avoid another “yellow card” for lax enforcement.

Bottom line: Friday’s high-seas arrest is more than a single bust. It signals to coastal families, seafood exporters and regional negotiators that Thailand intends to guard its blue economy—with the budget, hardware and courtroom resolve to match.