PHUKET: Tourism and Sport Director Santi Pawai led a raid yesterday north of Phuket that closed down one unregistered dive shop at Tablamu, the most popular departure pier.
Following the death while diving of a young Chinese woman, Khun Santi - who oversees Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi - is plann ing high-seas raids and proposing new regualtions he believes will make the industry safer.
Among his proposals:
.. A current doctor's certificate testifying to good health will have to be provided by all dive customers;
.. Walk-in customers will have to have their health validated by a doctor or at least a nurse before being able to book;
.. Every five divers will require a divemaster on board vessels, so a live-aboard carrying 40 customers will require eight divemasters;
.. Vessels specialising in carrying Chinese divers will be required to have at least one guide who speaks the language.
Khun Santi plains to enlist the help of Tourist Police and make surprise visits to live-aboards at sea to check that regulations are being followed.
All dive businesses are to be called to discuss the new range of restrictions, Khun Santi told Phuketwan today.
There are 40 dive companies operating on Phuket and another 35 based in Khao Lak, the tourist centre in Phang Nga, north of the holiday island.
Some businesses are likely to make the point that the new regulations would make diving off Phuket and Phang Nga cumbersome and less competitive.
Diving remains a safe sport - provided basic precautions are taken. Those simple precautions appear to have been overlooked late last month, resulting in a needless death.
Investigators have established that on the day she died, Lin Zhang, 23, was supposed to be diving with four companions, some of whom claimed to have ''dive instructor'' category qualifications.
The tour group instructors went with 19 other less experienced divers, leaving the five to make their own arrangements off the Similan islands.
It's still unexplained how Ms Zhang came to be floating at a depth of 11metres, without her companions.
Following the death while diving of a young Chinese woman, Khun Santi - who oversees Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi - is plann ing high-seas raids and proposing new regualtions he believes will make the industry safer.
Among his proposals:
.. A current doctor's certificate testifying to good health will have to be provided by all dive customers;
.. Walk-in customers will have to have their health validated by a doctor or at least a nurse before being able to book;
.. Every five divers will require a divemaster on board vessels, so a live-aboard carrying 40 customers will require eight divemasters;
.. Vessels specialising in carrying Chinese divers will be required to have at least one guide who speaks the language.
Khun Santi plains to enlist the help of Tourist Police and make surprise visits to live-aboards at sea to check that regulations are being followed.
All dive businesses are to be called to discuss the new range of restrictions, Khun Santi told Phuketwan today.
There are 40 dive companies operating on Phuket and another 35 based in Khao Lak, the tourist centre in Phang Nga, north of the holiday island.
Some businesses are likely to make the point that the new regulations would make diving off Phuket and Phang Nga cumbersome and less competitive.
Diving remains a safe sport - provided basic precautions are taken. Those simple precautions appear to have been overlooked late last month, resulting in a needless death.
Investigators have established that on the day she died, Lin Zhang, 23, was supposed to be diving with four companions, some of whom claimed to have ''dive instructor'' category qualifications.
The tour group instructors went with 19 other less experienced divers, leaving the five to make their own arrangements off the Similan islands.
It's still unexplained how Ms Zhang came to be floating at a depth of 11metres, without her companions.
"Or at least a nurse..." Talk about wiggle room. All about covering the operator's butt, not the safety of the diver.
Posted by Sam C on December 8, 2015 11:37