The Naval Civil Affairs Department said the Royal Thai Navy used HTMSAng Thong as the base of operations to deal with illegal fishing andhuman trafficking. Another seven ships and two aircraft have beendeployed to the southern seas to support the mission, which began on May26. Medical staff will be sent to the base on May 29.
Theoperation base was launched in the wake of a report that a new batch ofRohingya migrants from Bangladesh this month have disembarked ahead ofthe monsoon season.
The navy said those spotted in Thaiwaters would be told to leave, claiming that migrants never considerThailand as a final destination. However, officials will provide themwith humanitarian assistance as needed. Those found ashore will be dealtwith by international law.-VNA