The victim, identified as 21-year old Ko Maung Maung Htay, was seriously wounded by the gunshot and is currently in hospital.

“His situation is getting better. But, we are not assured with his wound since he was asked by doctors to go back to the hospital quickly. He will go back to Myanmar when he feels better,” Ko Soe Win, who is the room mate and co-worker of the victim, told The Myanmar Times on April 24.

According to him, Maung Maung Htay was beaten by the Thai fishing boat owner and his helmsman after an argument erupted after the victim was told he was not allowed to leave the boat for shopping before departure time.

When the boat was out to sea, Maung Maung Htay was allegedly beaten again by the boat owner twice with his gun, and then shot in his back when he was sleeping in his bedroom, said Ko Soe Win.

The victim Maung Maung Htay suffered serious injuries when the pellet penetrated straight through his back.

Maung Maung Htay, who is from a village in Mrauk-U township, Rakhine State in Myanmar, had been working at the Thai-owned fishing boat for a year.

“We will file a law suit case against the fishing boat owner. He shot at our fisherman,” Ko Soe Win said.

Ko Shwe Tun Aye, chair of MWN (Phuket) said that the Thai royal navy force has filed a report with the police for action to be taken against the Thai fishing boat owner.

He also said that their migrant rights group has been in discussion with Myanmar Embassy officials to take action against the suspect.

“Thai police force told us they have arrested the fishing boat owner. We will provide all the requirements and security plan for our fishermen for this case by cooperating with FED, another migrant rights group,” MWN’s chair Ko Shwe Tun Aye said.

There are 22 Myanmar migrant workers employed at that fishing boat and they all are legal, according to fishermen and migrants rights groups.

The same boat had apparently caught fire in 2015 when many fishermen were injured and two Myanmar workers had died.

But they have not been compensated by the fishing boat owner, MWN’s chair Ko Shwe Tun Aye told The Myanmar Times.

The officials at the Myanmar Embassy in Thailand didn’t respond to phone calls by The Myanmar Times on April 24 for comment on the case.