A SAFETY campaign began yesterday to educate Phuket boat operators involved in tourism about safety standards and better vessel management. Making life-jackets compulsory is part of that process.
The campaign will run all year and be carried to all six Andaman provinces, overseen by the Chief of Phuket's Marine Office 5, Phuripat Theerakulpisut.
The first 100 boat operators underwent a course yesterday at a Phuket hotel. Khun Phuripat said that pier standards would also be reviewed as part of the safety campaign.
Phuketwan can vouch for the need for improved standards. On a snorkelling trip from Chalong to Raya a couple of years ago, the tour speedboat broke down before the journey began and was replaced with a much older vessel.
Only when a savage storm struck the replacement boat off Raya was it realised that the the 20 life-jackets on the first boat had not been transferred to the replacement boat.
Only two people on board were fortunate to have the security of life-jackets as the old vessel and all 20 people on board took a serious pounding.
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The first 100 boat operators underwent a course yesterday at a Phuket hotel. Khun Phuripat said that pier standards would also be reviewed as part of the safety campaign.
Phuketwan can vouch for the need for improved standards. On a snorkelling trip from Chalong to Raya a couple of years ago, the tour speedboat broke down before the journey began and was replaced with a much older vessel.
Only when a savage storm struck the replacement boat off Raya was it realised that the the 20 life-jackets on the first boat had not been transferred to the replacement boat.
Only two people on board were fortunate to have the security of life-jackets as the old vessel and all 20 people on board took a serious pounding.
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If this is to be effective it needs to start at the top with the authorities performing proper checks on vessels and licences of the operators and the crew. Oh yes and checks on the authorities to stop them accepting bribes to allow substandard vessels or unlicensed crew to operate.
Posted by Soupdragon on April 5, 2011 11:50
Editor Comment:
We've never seen any evidence that bribes are paid over sub-standard vessels. Without evidence, it's an unfair accusation.