The Foreign Ministry of Thailand has officially confirmed that 10 crew members of fishing vessel CM 99219 TS which sank in the Gulf of Thailand earlier this month were arrested by a Royal Thai naval ship.

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The fishermen, from southernmost Ca Mau province, were arrested on January 2 for allegedly violating Thailand 's territorial waters, said the ministry.

They are currently being held in custody at a police station in Thailand 's Trat province.

The Thai ministry agreed to allow a representative from the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand to make a consular visit to help the fishermen.

Earlier, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat held in Cambodia 's Siem Reap province on Jan. 11, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh made a direct mention of the case to his Thai counterpart Surapong Tovichakchaikul.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand is actively working with relevant agencies in Thailand and taking the necessary citizen protection measures to find a solution to the case.

The ship sank after being hit by a foreign ship on January 2 with 11 members on board. Its captain was rescued by another fishing boat.

Source: VNA