According to a report by state news agency NBT, the four Chinese men were reunited with family members in Phuket at 7am today (Oct 5).
The news has yet to be reported by any Phuket authorities.
The four men chartered a small boat yesterday morning to go fishing at Racha Noi Island, south of Phuket, said the report.
The men had failed to return to Phuket by 9pm, prompting concerned family members to report the failure to make contact with the boat to the Phuket Marine Office.
The last known position of the boat was reported to be behind Green Island, between Maiton Island and Phi Phi Lei Island.
Other boats in the area were alerted to be on the lookout for the boat, and the Andaman Maritime Safety and Traffic Control Center (CSCA) took command of the mission to find the missing boat, said the report.
Passing ship ‘Adriatic Energy’ reported locating the boat at 1am today, resulting in Navy boat T233 of the Third Area Naval Command based at Cape Panwa being dispatched to render assistance and bring the boat and the people on board safely back to Phuket.
The report by NBT did not clarify whether or not the Chinese businessmen were tourists.
The report also did not name the small fishing boat or its captain or crew.
Present to welcome the four back on land were Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew and a host of other very important officers and representatives from related agencies, the report extolled.
The report noted that the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) maintains its heavy weather warning for the southern Andaman coast, with 70% of the area expected to experience passing thunderstorms.
Waves in Phang Nga waters are forecast to average one to two metres high, and average about about one metre high closer to Phuket.
The report also did noit mention any action against the small fishing boat operator for ignoring the TMD weather advisory’s call for all small boats to stay ashore during the current spate of heavy weather.
The advisory has been in effect for more than a week.