Navy says vessel in Gulf of Oman report is not Thai

The Royal Thai Navy has confirmed that a merchant vessel featured in reports about an incident in the Gulf of Oman was not Thai-flagged, easing concerns sparked by information circulating on social media.

Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaiphan, spokesman for the Royal Thai Navy, said on Saturday, July 18, that the Navy Operations Centre had coordinated checks through vessel-tracking systems after reports raised fears that the ship might be Thai.

The checks were conducted with the operational centre of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre and the Marine Department’s Vessel Traffic Service centre.

The authorities found that the vessel shown in the reports was not registered under the Thai flag.

Thailand’s only cargo vessel in area remains safe

The Navy also reviewed the status of Thai cargo vessels operating in the Gulf of Oman.

Only one Thai cargo ship was currently operating in the area, the spokesman said.

After coordinating with the person responsible for the vessel’s security, the Navy received confirmation that both the ship and its crew were safe.

Navigation and operations were continuing as normal, with no disruption reported.

The Navy has previously used maritime traffic-monitoring and inter-agency coordination systems to verify incidents involving Thai vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.

Navy urges reliance on official information

The Royal Thai Navy urged the public to follow updates from government agencies and reliable news sources amid rapidly developing maritime security conditions.

It said it would continue monitoring the regional situation closely and coordinating with relevant agencies to safeguard Thai vessels and protect the country’s maritime interests.

The clarification followed heightened public concern over reports involving commercial shipping near the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.

Foreign Ministry also rejects Thai-flagged vessel report

Jaithai Upakarnitikaset, director-general of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, also addressed reports that a Thai-flagged vessel had been attacked by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC.

Several news organisations, including Iranian media, reported on the night of July 17 that the vessel had been targeted after allegedly attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation.

Jaithai said the Foreign Ministry had coordinated with the Royal Thai Embassy in Tehran and the Royal Thai Navy to verify the information.

The Navy subsequently confirmed that the vessel cited in the reports was not Thai-flagged.

The Foreign Ministry said it would continue monitoring developments closely.

As conditions around the Strait of Hormuz remained highly uncertain, the ministry urged shipping companies and other relevant sectors to follow news and official announcements from the authorities closely.