Thailand summons Iranian envoy after attack on cargo ship leaves 3 crew missing

Panidol Pachimsawat, acting director-general of the Department of Information and deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Thursday (March 12) briefed the Centre for Monitoring and Managing the Situation of the Middle East Conflict on the latest developments.

He explained that at 11am Thailand time on Wednesday (March 11), the Thai-flagged cargo vessel Mayuree Naree, carrying 23 Thai crew members, was involved in an incident and sustained damage at the stern while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz after departing Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

Panidol said Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, in his capacity as director of the crisis centre, had already reported the preliminary progress from yesterday’s meeting.

On the part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Panidol said the Royal Thai Embassy had immediately and continuously coordinated with Oman’s Foreign Ministry and relevant agencies in order to assist the Thai crew.

The Royal Navy of Oman was able to rescue 20 Thai crew members and bring them ashore in Khasab, Oman. Initial checks found that none had suffered serious injuries, though they still required psychological care. 

A local representative of the ship-owning company had taken them to a hotel and arranged consultations with a psychiatrist, while search teams were continuing efforts to locate the remaining three crew members.

The Royal Thai Embassy is meanwhile trying to travel into the area by road, as it is a no-fly zone, in order to visit and care for the Thai crew and facilitate their return to Thailand.

The Marine Department has reported that all Thai vessels have now left the Strait of Hormuz area and that no Thai cargo ships remain there. Panidol said the public could therefore be assured that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was urgently coordinating efforts to locate and assist the three missing crew members as quickly as possible, while continuing to closely monitor and verify the facts surrounding the incident.

At the diplomatic level, the Foreign Ministry has also issued its second statement on developments in the Middle East, reiterating Thailand’s concern over the worsening crisis in the region, which has intensified following attacks by Israel and the United States, as well as Iran’s retaliation.

He said the conflict had created a serious threat to the lives and safety of civilians in the region and had also affected people elsewhere, including Thais, as seen in yesterday’s incident involving the Thai crew.

He stressed that respect for the UN Charter and international law protecting civilians and infrastructure was of the utmost importance. Thailand is therefore calling on all sides to exercise maximum restraint, immediately de-escalate tensions and return to dialogue in order to prevent the situation from spiralling further and undermining regional and global stability.

Thailand has also lodged a protest over the violence against a commercial vessel and expressed concern over the incident. Panidol said that, on Thursday morning, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had invited the Iranian ambassador to Thailand for talks to establish the facts of the matter.

Later on Thursday evening, the foreign minister is due to hold a telephone conversation with Oman’s foreign minister to thank the Omani government for its assistance and to follow up on the progress of the search for the three missing crew members, Panidol said.

He added that the situation in the Middle East remained severe and uncertain, with no sign from some parties involved of a clear intention to end the conflict. 

At the same time, Iran had reportedly set out three main conditions: recognition of Iran’s legitimate rights, compensation for damages, and clear guarantees from the international community that Iran would not face further aggression in future.

Meanwhile, ASEAN foreign ministers are scheduled to hold a special meeting on Friday (March 13, 2026), an initiative proposed by Thailand, to discuss the impact of the fighting in the Middle East on ASEAN and exchange views on how the bloc should respond and prepare in the long term.

Panidol said the meeting would provide an opportunity to reaffirm ASEAN unity and its central role in addressing crises affecting the region.

As for assistance to Thai nationals in Iran, he said that, as previously reported, the second group of Thais evacuated from Iran had already arrived in Turkey and would return to Thailand in two groups. The first group, comprising 34 people, mostly labourers, arrived safely in Thailand on Thursday morning, while the second group is expected to arrive on Friday morning.

He reiterated that the Thai government remained committed to assisting Thai nationals in the Middle East affected by the conflict and helping them leave dangerous areas safely, as the safety of Thai people in the region was now the government’s top priority.

Regarding foreign media reports overnight claiming that Iranian forces had warned a Thai commercial vessel, Panidol said the information could not yet be verified. That was why the Iranian embassy had been invited for direct talks to clarify the matter, and further action would depend on accurate and confirmed information.

He said that, after receiving reports of the incident, the Foreign Ministry had instructed the Royal Thai Embassy in Oman to coordinate immediately with Oman’s Foreign Ministry. 

The Omani authorities had cooperated well, coordinating with the Royal Navy of Oman to assist the Thai crew. So far, 20 have been rescued, while efforts are continuing to search for the remaining three who are still missing.

Panidol added that, according to the Thai embassy’s conversation with the ship’s captain, all 20 rescued Thai crew members were safe. As for the three still unaccounted for, the Royal Navy of Oman was intensifying search operations, though the effort was being hindered by the vessel’s large size, with seven storeys, and the darkness inside. Nevertheless, officials would do everything possible to help.

As for the vessel itself, it remains at the scene and has not yet docked in Oman.

Regarding the type of explosive used in the attack, Panidol said this could not yet be confirmed. However, the damage was found near the stern of the vessel, close to the engine room, where the three missing Thai crew members had been working. A detailed examination would still be needed.

Panidol also addressed rumours that two of the three missing Thai crew members had died, saying there had so far been no official confirmation. He urged the public to follow information from official sources, as reports during such situations could be inaccurate.

On measures to prevent similar incidents in future, he said the relevant agencies, particularly the navy, were already overseeing the matter through an operational centre monitoring the situation in the area. At least five warnings had already been issued to commercial vessels operating in the area, and all ships had been urged to strictly follow the navy’s guidance.