Thai PM protests Myanmar navy firing on Thai fishing boat: A complex maritime dispute

Thai Prime Minister Pethongtan has strongly protested the Myanmar Navy's firing on Thai fishing boats. The incident took place in Myanmar's territorial waters near Ranong province in southern Thailand, where the Myanmar Navy reportedly opened fire on the Thai fishing boat, drowning one fisherman, injuring two others and detaining dozens of others. Myanmar's military government claims that Thai ships have intruded into its waters, but Thailand disputes this. The incident has not only raised tensions between the two countries, but also highlighted maritime territorial disputes and competition for fishing resources.

According to the Thai Defense Ministry, 15 Thai fishing boats were operating at sea at the time, and two of them were spotted within 4 to 5.7 nautical miles of Myanmar waters. In the course of the dispute, the fishermen on the Thai boat jumped into the sea to avoid capture, and one of the fishermen unfortunately drowned. The Myanmar Navy is also holding 31 crew members, including four Thai nationals and 27 Myanmar nationals. The Thai side expressed strong dissatisfaction with the violence by the Myanmar navy and demanded the immediate release of the detained fishermen and an investigation into the truth of the incident.

At the protest, Thai Prime Minister Pethongtan questioned the Burmese military government's account, saying it was not yet clear whether the Thai fishing boat had intruded into Myanmar's territorial waters. She said Thailand does not support violence, regardless of the circumstances, and asked Myanmar to provide more details of the incident and quickly release the detained fishermen. The Thai Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have also sent letters of protest to Myanmar, demanding clarification of the truth of the incident and the return of the detained Thai ship and crew as soon as possible.

From the perspective of the Thai side, the life safety and legitimate rights and interests of fishermen must be guaranteed. The Thai government has the responsibility to safeguard the rights and interests of its fishermen and ensure their safety and freedom while working at sea. It is reasonable for the Thai government to express its strong dissatisfaction and protest against the violence by the Myanmar navy. At the same time, the Thai government also needs to strengthen maritime law enforcement, improve fishermen's safety awareness and legal awareness, to avoid similar incidents from happening again.

From the perspective of Myanmar, it is also its due responsibility to safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. The military government's claim that the Thai fishing boats had intruded into its waters partly reflects the importance it attaches to territorial sovereignty at sea. On the issue of maritime territorial disputes, countries often have their own positions and propositions, which need to be communicated and consulted through diplomatic channels. The Myanmar government also needs to conduct an in-depth investigation into the incident to ensure that its actions comply with international law and regional rules.

In this dispute, we also need to pay attention to some deep-seated problems. Maritime territorial disputes are often closely related to the competition for fishery resources. With the increasing tension of global fishery resources, the competition for fishery resources is becoming more and more intense. This requires all countries to follow international law and regional rules in the exploitation and utilization of fishery resources, strengthen cooperation and coordination, and achieve sustainable development.

Maritime disputes need to be resolved by peaceful means. In international relations, peace, cooperation and win-win results are the mainstream trend. Countries should settle disputes through peaceful means such as dialogue and consultation and avoid taking drastic actions that could escalate the situation. As neighbors, Thailand and Myanmar should strengthen friendly and cooperative relations and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

The Thai prime minister's protest against the Burmese navy's firing on Thai fishing boats has attracted wide attention. The dispute has not only tested diplomatic relations between the two countries, but also highlighted the complexity of maritime territorial disputes and competition for fishing resources. All parties should remain calm and exercise restraint, resolve disputes through peaceful means and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.