21-1-2025 (BANGKOK) Thai authorities have detained 42 Rohingya migrants discovered in coastal waters off Phuket’s Thalang district, following a harrowing six-week journey from Bangladesh that reportedly claimed several lives.
The group, comprising 19 men and 23 women, including a dozen children under 15, was spotted near Sai Kaew beach in Mai Khao during the early hours of Tuesday. Local officials found them in a severely weakened state, prompting immediate humanitarian assistance before their transfer to Tha Chat Chai police station.
Through an interpreter, the migrants revealed they were part of a larger contingent of 75 individuals who embarked from Bangladesh on 16 December, hoping to reach Malaysia. Their journey took a dire turn when conflicts arose aboard their cargo vessel, forcing them to disembark and continue their voyage in smaller boats towards Phangnga’s coastline near Phuket.
Particularly disturbing accounts emerged during police interviews, with survivors reporting incidents of violence aboard the original vessel that resulted in fatalities. Several members of the group, including pregnant women, required medical attention upon arrival.
Additional sightings of suspected migrants were reported at Tha Nun in neighbouring Phangnga province, with some individuals later observed near Phuket’s Sarasin bridge. Thai authorities have launched a search operation for the remaining members of the original group.
