BURIRAM, Aug 5 (TNA) – Families of Thai fishing crew
members stranded on two trawlers off the Somalian coast appeal the government
for help.
Sister of one of the fisherman, who just talked to her
bother via a video call, said that the 50 Thai crew members had been abandoned
after their employer sold the vessels. 
They had not been paid and left stranded on the trawlers
with food and water supplies running low, Yupin Panram told reporters at a
house in Buriram province where families of other crew members were gathering.
They suspected the employer deceived them to go to work,
therefore the families asked the government to bring their loved ones home, she
said.
The plight of the Thai workers came to light last weekend
when a fisherman, also from Buriram, made a video call to his friend in Phuket
for help.
The Thai nationals have been stranded along with 10 workers
from other countries on the Wadani 1 and Wadani 2 boats off the Bosaso coast of
Somalia.
Employment office of Buriram has compiled information of the
seven men from the province who are among the crew members and will pass it to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Officials said they had no records of the men because they
had not registered with the authorities. (TNA)
