Thai police have detained six men, including the captain and crew of a fishing boat carrying 65 ethnic Rohingya, who were stranded on Pulau Rawi, off the coast of Satun in southern Thailand, on Tuesday.

The director of the Royal Thai Police's Centre for Children, Women, Family Protection, and Anti-Trafficking in Persons, Police General Suchat Theerasawat, said the six detained comprised a Thai national from Ranong, who was the captain, and five Myanmar nationals who were the crew.

He said, the boat carrying 31 women, 29 men and five children, entered the waters of Satun and was stranded at Pulau Rawi due to engine trouble.

“So far, the police still cannot confirm that all the passengers on board the boat were victims of a human trafficking syndicate.

“We need some time to make further investigations, as well as identify the captain and crew, whether they are part of the human trafficking network or not,” Suchat told a media conference in Satun yesterday.

All the passengers were now placed at three temporary detention centres.

They were also given health checks and medical treatment, Suchat added.

- Bernama