The boat, the Sathaporn 7, was in port at Rassada Pier in Koh Sireh, after unloading fish, and the crew were having breakfast before heading out to sea again.
Siang Tai newspaper reported that captain Prawai Thongmee, 52, and the crew smelled gas as they ate, but ignored it. Shortly after, the boat erupted in flames, with the explosion blowing a hole through the hull.
Kusondharm Foundation rescuers pulled the injured mariners from the wreckage and rushed them to Vachira Phuket Hospital, all suffering from burns, one of them with 70-per-cent burns.
After visiting the wreck of the boat, Pol Col Saemphan Sirikong and Lt Col Jamroong Plaiduang of Phuket City Police said they believed the explosion was probably caused by leaking cooking gas and a spark from the engine below decks, which was running at the time.
Norraseat Royutra and his boat, the Sor Chok Ananda, have been given the task of salvaging the damaged boat. At low tide they attached sealed canisters to the Sathaporn 7 so that the rising tide would raise it off the bottom and it could be towed away. Damage to the boat was estimated at about B2 million.