Sorasak, a party-list MP from the Palang Pracharath Party and former official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, advised the government to revise its protection plan for Thai vessels and to disseminate information to Thai cargo ships required to enter hazardous areas after Iran's attack on the "Mayuree Naree" ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
On 12 March 2026, a reporter reported that on 11 March, Mr. Sorasak Somkraisarakit, a party-list MP from the Palang Pracharath Party and former Ministry of Foreign Affairs official, commented following the shooting of the Thai-flagged cargo ship "Mayuree Naree" in the Strait of Hormuz.
Mr. Sorasak expressed support for his colleagues serving at Thai embassies and consulates in the Persian Gulf countries and urged the Thai government to protect Thai citizens and national interests. He proposed urgent measures for the government to address the situation as follows.
1. Implement a Protective Escort plan for Thai ships: Develop measures to safeguard commercial vessels along high-risk routes. The government should consider coordinating this plan jointly with the Ministry of Defence, the Royal Thai Navy, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This may include coordinating warning systems among shipping lines in the area and liaising with the U.S. naval forces operating there to prepare for and assist in emergencies.
2. Information coordination: The government should transparently disseminate information about danger zones to Thai operators, including necessary measures such as communication and coordination with countries providing assistance and notifying Thai embassies in advance about voyage plans and routes.
3. Economic measures: Prepare plans to mitigate impacts on oil prices and the cost of living resulting from the Gulf war crisis.
4. Diplomatic measures: It would be unwise not to clearly express Thailand's concerns. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should summon the Iranian Ambassador to Thailand for discussions to ascertain facts about the incident and request Iran's assurance to refrain from any hostile acts against Thai-flagged cargo ships that do not threaten Iran. Furthermore, the Thai government should notify the Iranian authorities that Thailand is not an enemy and request restraint from any actions endangering the lives and property of Thai-flagged vessels. The Palang Pracharath Party believes protecting Thai citizens and interests should not be handled passively or quietly but with clear, serious government commitment as is Thailand’s right under international law.
Mr. Sorasak stated that this incident clearly reflects the use of indiscriminate and unannounced attack tactics. He affirmed that Thai ships can no longer rely solely on “neutrality” for security in this region.
Additionally, Mr. Sorasak offered the following practical recommendations.
For crew family members: Coordination with the Protection Division of the Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, should be expedited to quickly monitor the welfare situation.
For operators: An urgent assessment of the impact on freight rates and the rising cost of war risk insurance should be conducted. Relevant government agencies such as the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport must implement support measures for operators.