The Burmese navy has auctioned off fishing boats at their base in Kawthaung, Tenesserim Division for the first time this year after they seized the boats in their maritime territory.
According to a source who bought a fishing boat from the auction, the price was about 8 million kyat from the navy base, but the boat’s value is about 1 million baht which is more than three times the sale price. Additionally, the boats’ equipment is also often sold by the authorities.
A former fishing boat owner said, “the Burmese navy authorities auction off boats depending on how many they seize. But this is the first time there has been an auction sale in Kawthaung this year.” Last year, the navy authorities held auction sales six times.
According to The New Light of Myanmar, the Burmese navy authorities auctioned fishing boats on February 16th at Kawthaung selling around five. On February 13th at Meguri, three fishing boats and one illegal wooden ship were sold at auction and, on February 13th at Moulmein, one illegal wooden ship was sold. The auction sale was held by the Quartermaster- General Office and the supervisor of the group responsible for seized vessels.
“After they seized the ship they auctioned it. The ship was owned by both Thai and Burmese owners,” a former boat owner said. One of his friend’s boats was seized by the Burmese navy and the friend was asked to pay the navy in order to get his own boat back and had to ask the former boat owner to go to the base and help negotiate to get the boat back.
His friend’s wife was crying after their boat was seized because they would have to borrow the money with interest to get it back which they could not afford. Even if they got their back they would still have to borrow more money to start again. They would need at least 200,000 baht for a small boat. Therefore they have decided not to try to get their boat returned.
After the Burmese navy authorities auctioned the fishing boats on February s16th, the top officers from Meguri had a meeting at which they ordered the seizure of fishing boats involved with illegal shellfish harvesting with the cooperation of the tactical Commander at Kawthaung. They will arrest and imprison those involved for up to 20 years.
An intelligence source told IMNA that the seizure and taxation of the Thai fishing fleet is the largest source of income for army and navy officials in the area. In Thai and Burmese maritime territory a boat could carry about 80 to 2,000 ice boxes for fish. The value of a boat carrying 2,000 ice boxess carry boat is about 30-40 million baht.
However, both Thai and Burmese authorities do not seize Salon ethnic boats since the Salon live at sea and depend on it to survive. Consequently, the Salon boats are in no danger of seizure but some boat Thai and Burmese owners have used this to their advantage, naming their vessels as Salon in order to avoid seizure.
