Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysian maritime officials detained eight Thai fishermen for encroaching in foreign waters, and seized more than 1,000 kilogrammes of fish found in their boat, a news report said Wednesday.

Officers from the northeastern Terengganu state spotted the Thai vessel on Monday, and gave chase after the boat tried to speed off, state maritime commander Syed Mohamad Fuzi Syed Hassan said.

"When we were on patrol and spotted a fishing boat using dragnet in a suspicious manner. They tried to flee but were detained," he was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

Syed Fuzi said more than 1,000 kilogrammes of fish worth about 2,000 ringgit (541 dollars) was seized.

The Thai fishermen have been detained under the fisheries act, for encroaching on foreign waters. (dpa)