BANGKOK - Thai and Malaysian marine police have launched their first joint patrol aimed at wiping out illegal activities in the Andaman Sea including floating brothels and smuggling, officials said Tuesday.

The Thai press last week reported that residents of the southern provinces were outraged over the discovery of boat-brothels equipped with "lady crews" and karaoke equipment, which cater to the crews of passing trawlers.

"The operation is aimed at cracking down on all kinds of illegal businesses, for example floating brothels and oil smuggling," said a marine police official in Satun province, which borders Malaysia.

The official said a combined force of 60 marine police on two Thai inspection vessels have since Sunday been patrolling the Andaman Sea from Satun province south to the resort island of Langkawi.

"This was the first-ever joint operation of its kind between the two countries," he told AFP , adding that the patrols would wrap up on Tuesday.

In a Thai operation held last week, crew members of three floating brothels were reportedly arrested and sixteen women charged with prostitution. — AFP