The Ministry of Labor is urgently coordinating relief efforts for 23 Thai crew members attacked near the Strait of Hormuz. It has ordered affiliated agencies to visit and encourage the families and to manage the various benefits they should receive.
On 12 March 2026, Mr. Santi Nantasuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labor and spokesperson, provided an update on assistance for Thai workers following the attack on the Thai cargo ship Mayuree Naree near the Strait of Hormuz on the morning of 11 March. According to reports from the Labor Attaché at the Royal Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the ship had 23 crew members, mostly Thai. They had to abandon ship and use lifeboats. Twenty crew members were rescued by the Omani Navy and safely brought ashore at Khasab. They are currently staying at a hotel arranged by their company, while the embassy in Muscat coordinates with the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs for visits.
Three crew members remain missing, believed to be trapped on the ship or possibly in the engine room. Thai and Omani authorities are actively conducting search and rescue operations. The labor division has coordinated with the embassy in Muscat to closely prepare care and assistance for the affected Thai workers.
Mr. Santi added that in terms of assistance, Ms. Treenuch Thienthong, Minister of Labor, is concerned about the affected Thai workers. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, has ordered affiliated agencies to visit the families of the three missing crew members to offer encouragement, promptly communicate the Ministry's support to the families, and verify the benefits the crew members are entitled to from their employer.
Upon reviewing social security insurance coverage to assist with benefits for the three crew members, it was found that the first person, Mr. Kiattisak Pawapuchaka, an electrician from Nong Bua Lamphu province, was insured under Section 33 with 60 months of old-age contributions totaling 35,988.40 baht (excluding returns).
The second person, Mr. Panupong Muenthan, a ship mechanic from Samut Prakan province, was insured under Section 33 with 6 months of old-age contributions amounting to 678.94 baht (no returns due to incomplete 12-month contributions).
The third person, Mr. Chawalit Chaiwong, an engine mechanic from Tak province, was insured under Section 33 with 71 months of old-age contributions totaling 37,201.67 baht (excluding returns).
The Ministry of Labor is coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Marine Department, and other relevant agencies to facilitate relief efforts and ensure all 23 crew members receive the benefits they are entitled to.