Police in Thailand have issued arrest warrants for nine Thai soldiers accused of killing 13 Chinese sailors last year on the Mekong River, according to Global Times on Tuesday.

A Thai policeman in charge of the case said they have "solid evidence" the soldiers were involved in the killing of the sailors. The suspects may face two allegations: murder and hiding the bodies. Drugs police found on the two ships have nothing to do with the Chinese victims but were planted by "a group of men in black clothes", according to police.

The ships were transporting fruit to Thailand, according to the police.

The sailors were killed on October 5 last year.