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Thai Sailors Sue Precious Shipping After March Strike in Strait of Hormuz

The labour-court case accuses the company of ordering the ship into a known danger zone and challenges how firms compensate and care for seafarers.

Lawyer Kunpat Singhathong and three sailors from the Thailand-flagged ship, the Mayuree Naree, speak to journalists outside the Central Labour Court in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)
Lawyer Kunpat Singhathong and Noppadon Wongsuvan, a former sailor from the Thailand-flagged ship, the Mayuree Naree, walk towards the Central Labour Court in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)
A Thai lawyer holds legal documents for a case filed by former sailors of the Thailand-flagged ship, the Mayuree Naree, outside the Central Labour Court in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)
Noppadon Wongsuvan, a former sailor from the Thailand-flagged ship, the Mayuree Naree, is seen outside the Central Labour Court in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)

Overview

  • Three former crew members filed a petition at Thailand’s Central Labour Court seeking at least 1 million baht each after the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck on March 11, killing three colleagues and forcing the rescue and repatriation of about 20 crew.
  • The plaintiffs name Precious Shipping, two affiliated firms and the vessel’s captain and say the company ordered the ship through the Strait of Hormuz despite clear security warnings, putting lives at risk.
  • The sailors say they were dismissed before their nine-month contracts ended, received compensation equal to two months’ pay, and have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder that prevents them from returning to sea.
  • The Central Labour Court has accepted the petition and scheduled the first hearing for September 28, 2026, while Precious Shipping has limited public comment to condolences and repatriation assistance.
  • The case highlights broader concerns about merchant crew safety in a vital oil and gas route, could test corporate liability for deployment decisions, and may influence how shipping firms and regulators address seafarer welfare after attacks.