PHUKET: A two-day operation by divers has broken up eight concrete blocks that posed a danger to boats in Phuket's Chalong harbor and were blamed for at least two sinkings.
The chief of Phuket's Marine Office 5, Phuripat Theerakulpisut, said today that the divers destroyed the concrete blocks on Thursday and Friday.
''We couldn't manage to keep buoys attached to the blocks,'' he said. ''They were constantly being stolen. So destroying the blocks was the best idea.''
Last month a 10 million baht luxury cruise vessel, Lady Andaman, was badly holed when it struck a concrete block sitting in about two metres of water.
The holing followed the sinking last year of another vessel, a boat known as The Booze Cruise, in similar fashion on the same large concrete block.
The blocks and buoys had been intended to define the safe-water channel for boats but the disappearance of the buoys left some captains unable to find the channel without them.
Phuket's Marine Office 5 opted to break up the blocks in the water rather than risk more boats being damaged.
The chief of Phuket's Marine Office 5, Phuripat Theerakulpisut, said today that the divers destroyed the concrete blocks on Thursday and Friday.
''We couldn't manage to keep buoys attached to the blocks,'' he said. ''They were constantly being stolen. So destroying the blocks was the best idea.''
Last month a 10 million baht luxury cruise vessel, Lady Andaman, was badly holed when it struck a concrete block sitting in about two metres of water.
The holing followed the sinking last year of another vessel, a boat known as The Booze Cruise, in similar fashion on the same large concrete block.
The blocks and buoys had been intended to define the safe-water channel for boats but the disappearance of the buoys left some captains unable to find the channel without them.
Phuket's Marine Office 5 opted to break up the blocks in the water rather than risk more boats being damaged.
Marine Office 5 dropped in the blocks and was unable to maintain them in a safe manner.
In any developed nation they would be liable to any damages caused by their negligence.
I wonder what kind of a reception a boat owner asking Marine Office 5 to pay for damages would receive.
Posted by ThaiMike on February 15, 2014 15:22