On 23 August 2017 the Marine Department ordered the revocation of school accreditation as well as credentials for all maritime training courses issued under the Marine Department's regulations on certification for seafarers of Chemstar Maritime School. This is the fourth school from which credentials have been revoked. Earlier on 23 May 2017, the Marine Department issued the same ordered for 3 naval training schools accredited by the Marine Department including the Barter Maritime School, Thai Maritime School, and Inter Maritime School.

The revocation of the school and curriculum credentials was due to an investigation by the Royal Thai Police which led to the finding that these schools had issued false certificates for completion of the maritime training courses. It was found that recipients did not attend the training, or attending the training but failed to meet the standard attendance time as required by the Marine Department. Moreover, the schools also provided false information of certified seafarers for inclusion in the Marine Department database of seafarers. Such behavior is, therefore, a violation of the Department’s Regulation on Certification for Seafarers B.E. 2557.

The maritime curriculum involves both theoretical and practical training for seafarers providing seagoing services including ship masters and crews in accordance with the training standard required by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The certificates are used as proof of qualification for working on board various types of vessel, some of which may be used as proof of qualification for obtaining the certification from the Marine Department to work on fishing vessels. The Marine Department has the legal authority to audit and control the standards of maritime training courses and schools in order to ensure that the training is carried out in accordance with the Department’s relevant regulations and to ensure that the certified seafarers are trained with the appropriate level of knowledge, understanding and navigational skills in accordance with international standards.

The orders to revoke the schools and curriculum credentials are an important part of the measures to tackle the problem of illegal fishing along with measures on the management of fishing fleets and all types of supporting vessels used in fishing operation including fisheries transhipment, fishery goods reefers, reefers, fisheries oil tankers and freshwater transport vessels as these vessels are also subject to fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance measures. Seafarers who wish to work on these vessels must complete standardized trainings and be certified by accredited school to ensure that Thai vessels as well as other vessels in used in fishing industry are operated in accordance with international standards.