Mayuree Naree crew sue over PTSD compensation

Three former crew members of the Thai-flagged cargo ship MV Mayuree Naree have launched a multi-million baht civil lawsuit against the ship’s owner and affiliated companies, seeking compensation for severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), developed after the vessel was attacked in a high-risk conflict zone.

Represented by attorney Kanphat Singthong, the three plaintiffs filed their case at the Central Labour Court yesterday.

They are demanding financial compensation and ongoing medical coverage, arguing that the company knowingly breached employees' rights by ordering the vessel to sail through the dangerous Strait of Hormuz on March 11, despite well-documented security threats and navigation restrictions in the region.

According to their legal counsel, the shipping company has denied liability and rejected their initial compensation claims.

The employer reportedly argued that the crew members did not display any symptoms of psychological trauma at the time their employment was terminated, a stance the lawyer challenged, noting that PTSD is a delayed-onset medical condition that typically manifests long after a traumatic event occurs.

The three former merchant mariners stated that the severity of their psychological condition has significantly disrupted their daily lives, making it impossible for them to return to work at sea.

Facing a need for prolonged medical care and the potential permanent loss of their livelihoods, they are seeking damages estimated in the millions of baht per person.

The profound impact of the ordeal was visible during a press conference at the court, where one of the former crew members suffered a sudden relapse of PTSD symptoms, experiencing severe palpitations and hand tremors that forced him to abruptly leave the interview panel to recover.

The Central Labour Court has accepted the case and bypassed the standard mediation stage, scheduling a court session on September 28 to define the issues in the dispute, ahead of the formal evidentiary hearings.

Meanwhile, the legal team is urging other crew members who survived the March 11 attack and are experiencing similar psychological trauma to undergo formal medical evaluation so they can consider joining the lawsuit.