Rescue workers from the nearby Boat Lagoon Marina and the Kusoldharm Foundation were informed of the fire at 4.30pm.
The first responders arrived at the scene, on Boat Lagoon Soi 4, beside the canal leading to the sea, to find the crewman, 30-year-old Narongrit Nuanchan, with flash burns to his legs and scorched clothes.
His hair was also singed, but he was fully mobile and conscious, rescue workers noted before taking him to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.
The rescue teams also found scorch marks inside the boat, which was emblazoned with “Best Travel Club” on its hull, and hosed the vessel down thoroughly to prevent a repeat flash fire.
Mr Narongrit explained to the rescue workers that he was smoking in the boat just after refueling, an act that is presumed to have started the fire.
Fortunately, there were no tourists in the boat at the time of the incident and that the fire did not spread to other parts of the boat or set alight the boat’s feul tanks, rescue workers noted.