SOUTH CHINA SEAS PIRATES

WELL,  I  do not remember what channel this was on, but suspect it was
PBS, TLC, THC, or similiar.

The same channel also had another special  about treasure hunters  who
were blatantly ripped off by the local Thai Navy and Maritime Police
after they located and salvaged the treasure.

Another program that aired  was about a salvage tug  dispatched from
Singapore to tow a big cargo ship into port that had complete engiine
failure.

Arriving on site, they encountered a swarm of FPBs from Indonisia around
the cargo vessel, and were told to leave for their own safety; there
were pirates in the  area.

When the  tug skipper insisted he was there to tow the ship into port at
the owners charter, the tug was boarded, crew arrested for piracy and
the tug seized by the FPBs.

Later the cargo ship and tug were released-they were recovered from
pirates - but cargo was gone, along with anything else of  value o both
vessels.

The "white" crew were also released by	the authorities,  but
"non-white" crew members were apprently jailed for a length of time.

The  owner's apparently  paid a "fine" for the	"white crew" first, and
then a second  "fine" for the "non-white crew" who it was assumed would
be released  without being held for ransome.

A friend of mine, who  is  a retired commo officer in the  merchant
marine told me and  others that way back in the  60s and 70s, some South
China Seas  coastal and inter island steamer or motor vessel officers
went armed at all times because of the	possibility that their vessels
and cargos might be attacked by pirates  travelling as deck passengers
or by small boats when at anchor in port.

Sounds fantastic in this day and  age to some folks, but I believe based
on my own eyeball observations of 3rd through 7th world  life.

DAWGFACE