0003160 G.F. 316
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about the extent of Hong Kong's territorial waters.
The risks
too great for Hong Kong to accept. The Americans understand our position and why this matter cannot be is.d with the Chinese.
The Searching of Thai Trawlers on the High Seas
16.
AW LATEST
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According to the Americans, the Thais have indicated unofficially that they would raise no objection to foreign warships stopping and searching their trawlers on the high seas which appear to be heading for Hong Kong and to take action if cpium cargoes are discovered. Whilst this is what they might have intimated unofficially to the Americans in Bangkok, such a procedure is fraught with dangers, quite apart from being unlawful in itself, and could not be contemplated so far as we are concerned. Either a formula must be found which would enable the Royal Navy to take action on the high seas lawfully or it cannot be done at all. The legal aspects are being examined in London as a result of previous representations we have made.
17.
However, with improved intelligence as to the probable time of arrival of a trawlers in clear cut international waters south of the Lema Islands near Hong Kong, and it is possible to obtain this or occasions, it was considered that there would be merit in the Royal Navy patrolling in the area provided sufficient resources in terms of ships can be m de available. The idea would be for R. N. vessels to frustrate a rendezvous hotroon trawlor detected and its Hong Kong based transfer boat and generally to harrass the trawler and scaro its crow to an extent that it would either dump its cargo into the sea, or return with it to Thailand. It is suggested that this matter should be pursued,
Reporting of Thai Trawlers on the High Seas
18.
The Americans revelaed that their intelligence indicates that Thai trawlors follow two principal routes from the Gulf of Thailand to Hong Kong - either an inshore route or an open sea route. The latter is reported to be the route preferred provided the weather and current conditions are favourable and involves joining the principal shipping lane from Singapore to Hong Kong where there is a considerable amount of commercial ocean going traffic. It is understood that Thai trawlers quite often pass reasonably close to these vessels, It was suggested that the masters of British and American ships sighting a Thai trawler heading towards the Colony should be requested to report the position, course and speed of any such trawler encountered to the Marine Department in Hong Kong for onward transmission to the Narcotics Breau. From this information the probable time of arrival of the trawler at its rendezvous area can be estimated
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