Trat: Trat province is rushing to catch hundreds of black-chinned tilapia after they were found in the Ban Laem Klat area. The Laem Klat Subdistrict Administrative Organization, in collaboration with the Trat Provincial Fisheries Department, community leaders, and villagers, has mobilized to address the situation in Moo 2, Ban Laem Klat. It is estimated that there are several hundred of these fish in the local water source, although there has been no official confirmation of an outbreak from the fisheries department.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Haruthai Hengprathom, the Subdistrict Chief, led a team to join officials from the Trat Provincial Fisheries Office, the village headman, and local residents in efforts to capture the invasive fish. The discovery of black-chinned tilapia in Trat has raised concerns regarding their potential impact on the ecosystem and local aquatic life.
Previously, some reports indicated that black-chinned tilapia had escaped into natural waterways in Trat province, but no widespread outbreak was observed at that time. Recently, however, the Laem Klat Subdistrict Administrative Organization received reports from villagers, prompting a mobilization of resources to catch several hundred of these fish in the area.
According to the latest situation monitoring database of the Department of Fisheries as of April 23, 2026, outbreak areas in Thailand are classified into different levels. Trat Province is not yet included in the official database of outbreak areas or areas under surveillance, which lists provinces such as Chanthaburi, Chachoengsao, and Bangkok as having high outbreak rates, and others like Rayong and Chonburi as experiencing moderate outbreaks. Monitoring areas include Prachinburi, Phatthalung, and Pattani.