PHUKET: Governor Maitree Intrusud visited a Chinese tourist in hospital today after the man became a jet-ski crash victim within 24 hours of starting a Phuket holiday.
Shen Baocheng, 27, still has water in his lungs, a broken cheekbone and a badly cut ear, his three-months-pregnant wife Wen Wen told Phuketwan. He remains seriously ill but is not in a coma.
Because of her pregnancy, the couple stayed on Patong beach today while six travelling companions from Chongqing took a day-trip to Phi Phi island.
''My husband was riding a jet-ski and a big boat hit him,'' she said. The speedboat that struck the jet-ski was pulling a parasail passenger at the time.
Lifeguards pulled Shen Baocheng to shore and resuscitated him on the beach. The jet-ski appeared to be badly damaged.
The tourist was taken to Patong Hospital for emergency treatment then to Phuket International Hospital in Phuket City.
''We only arrived at 4pm yesterday so i haven't had the chance to see a lot of Phuket,'' said Wen Wen. ''My husband has water in his lungs so breathing is a problem.''
The couple did not have travel insurance, she said.
Governor Maitree brought a fruit basket to the Phuket City hospital, where he said that the speedboat owner and the jet-ski operator had agreed to foot the bills.
He said he believed the Chinese visitor, a policeman, had ''lost control'' of the jet-ski.
Governor Maitree said jet-ski operators needed to carefully assess the riding capacity of people who hired out the machines.
''Operators may need to go out with tourists in cases where they haven't had much experience,'' he added.
Wen Wen and her husband, who were to be on Phuket for eight days, are now planning to head home on September 4.
The governor has had a few days to absorb jet-ski issues. On Thursday and Friday, jet-ski operators began a series of seminars on safety and service and their role as ''brand ambassadors'' for Phuket.
A dispute over damages involving an Australian tourist - one of many that are caused because the jet-skis are not fully insured - was settled by police at Karon, south of Patong.
Phuket's Australian consul Larry Cunningham intervened, only to be told by Siriporn Tantiphanyatep, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Phuket Office, in a telephone message that he ''should thank the governor instead of just making complaints all the times.''
Her message concluded: '' . . . it is not wise to always say bad things about Phuket while you are still living and doing your business in this city.''
Shen Baocheng, 27, still has water in his lungs, a broken cheekbone and a badly cut ear, his three-months-pregnant wife Wen Wen told Phuketwan. He remains seriously ill but is not in a coma.
Because of her pregnancy, the couple stayed on Patong beach today while six travelling companions from Chongqing took a day-trip to Phi Phi island.
''My husband was riding a jet-ski and a big boat hit him,'' she said. The speedboat that struck the jet-ski was pulling a parasail passenger at the time.
Lifeguards pulled Shen Baocheng to shore and resuscitated him on the beach. The jet-ski appeared to be badly damaged.
The tourist was taken to Patong Hospital for emergency treatment then to Phuket International Hospital in Phuket City.
''We only arrived at 4pm yesterday so i haven't had the chance to see a lot of Phuket,'' said Wen Wen. ''My husband has water in his lungs so breathing is a problem.''
The couple did not have travel insurance, she said.
Governor Maitree brought a fruit basket to the Phuket City hospital, where he said that the speedboat owner and the jet-ski operator had agreed to foot the bills.
He said he believed the Chinese visitor, a policeman, had ''lost control'' of the jet-ski.
Governor Maitree said jet-ski operators needed to carefully assess the riding capacity of people who hired out the machines.
''Operators may need to go out with tourists in cases where they haven't had much experience,'' he added.
Wen Wen and her husband, who were to be on Phuket for eight days, are now planning to head home on September 4.
The governor has had a few days to absorb jet-ski issues. On Thursday and Friday, jet-ski operators began a series of seminars on safety and service and their role as ''brand ambassadors'' for Phuket.
A dispute over damages involving an Australian tourist - one of many that are caused because the jet-skis are not fully insured - was settled by police at Karon, south of Patong.
Phuket's Australian consul Larry Cunningham intervened, only to be told by Siriporn Tantiphanyatep, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Phuket Office, in a telephone message that he ''should thank the governor instead of just making complaints all the times.''
Her message concluded: '' . . . it is not wise to always say bad things about Phuket while you are still living and doing your business in this city.''
Am I reading this right? "the speedboat owner and the jet-ski operator had agreed to foot the bills."
Posted by Guenter Bellach on August 31, 2013 19:57