Thailands Navy Vessel Arrives In Phuket.
A Thai Navy ship arrived in Phuket ahead of deployment to aid in the migrant crisis, an official confirmed on Tuesday.
Captain Benjamaporn Wongnakornsawang said the amphibious-assault vessel HTMS Ang-Thong stopped at the navy base on the resort island before continuing to the Andaman Sea.
“It will serve as the command-and-control ship for humanitarian assistance operations, aided by its two helicopters and on-board emergency medical team.
“The navy will provide immediate assistance to migrants before sending their ships on to Indonesia and Malaysia.
“The agreement last week was to give temporary shelter to the more than 7,000 currently estimated to be at sea in the area,’’ Wongnakornsawang said.
Bangkok has so far refused to accept any of the sea-borne migrants, mostly from Bangladesh and Myanmar’s ethnic Rohingya group, arguing that they do not see Thailand as their “final destination.”
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Monday that any who land in Thailand would be given medical and emergency assistance but would be prosecuted for illegal entry.
However, the Rohingya said that they suffered discrimination in Myanmar.
According to them, Myanmar does not recognise them as one of the country’s official ethnic groups and considers them illegal Bengali immigrants.
Experts say the average summer temperatures have been rising annually. (dpa/NAN)
