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Phuket Tourism Businesses Likely to Fund New Search and Rescue Fee
By Chutima Sidasathian Tuesday, April 28, 2015
PHUKET: All tourism-related organisations registered with Phuket's Tourism and Sport Department are likely to have to pay an additional fee to cover the cost of search and rescue operations.
An association of businesses that will contribute is already being discussed and likely to be pursued at a meeting on Phuket on May 8.
''We will test the idea on Phuket then take the 'Phuket model' to Krabi and Phang Nga,'' the island's Tourism and Sport Director, Santi Pawai, said today.
He was speaking following revelations in Phuketwan that Marine Police exhausted this month's and next month's fuel allowance in the unsuccessful search for missing American diver Joshua Devine.
Khun Santi sounded out the funding idea with counter-tour operators and agencies today. A total of 1705 businesses are registered with Tourism and Sport.
The concept of a better-funded search and rescue system along the Andaman holiday coast also has the backing of the Royal Thai Navy.
The Navy sent up a helicopter when it learned that Mr Devine was missing, 48 hours after the Marine Police began a search at sea.
Royal Thai Navy 3 Deputy Commander, Rear Admiral Teamsiri Montriwek, said there were misunderstandings about the nature and quality of the search for Mr Devine, who disappeared from a dive boat bound for the Similan islands on April 5.
The Navy's prime objective is protecting Thailand's coast but aircraft and vessels have often been devoted to search and rescue.
Almost exactly two years ago, a Navy patrol ship rescued 400 tourists who had become stranded off Phuket as bad weather swept in.
The severe storm had been forecast a week in advance. But it did not stop speedboats and dive boats putting to sea.
The storm sank one live-aboard vessel and trapped more than 400 passengers from about a dozen other vessels, mostly speedboats, on a remote island.
Sailing to the rescue, the Thai Navy patrol boat Pattani scored rave reviews from most passengers for providing hot food and warmth - and a safe late-night voyage back to the mainland coast at Tablamu, north of Phuket.
Many boats put to sea from Phuket and the province of Phang Nga to the north with the people in charge of passengers' safety knowing exceptionally bad weather was predicted to arrive that afternoon.
The mass rescue highlighted that those who profit from tourism should pay when misjudgements expose visitors to needless risks.
In the case of the missing American diver, concerns have been expressed that the dive boat continued on to the Similan islands with its paying passengers while Marine Police, the Royal Thai Navy and the Kusoldharm Foundation were left to search for the man overboard.
The Pattaya-based company is registered in Bangkok, so it would not be part of any search-and-rescue fee charged to businesses registered on Phuket.
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Comments
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Tourists made to pay for yet another basic infrastructure local administration should provide.
Bad idea and yet not surprising at all. How dare those pesky tourists come here and drown.
Posted by
Herbert
on
April 28, 2015 15:14
For sure, the tourism-related businesses will disagree to fund a "Search & Rescue Operation Department" for the simple reason that its belong to the whole nation to support the financial burden with some examples below to show that the Thai government support all national "Search & Rescue Operations" but it does not have a specific department inside the Ministry of Interior (MOI) to manage national disasters and local rescues which it should be done the sooner the better.
The Thai Administration is in charge to search and rescue people and properties when a plane crashes by the sea or on land; or when a natural disaster destroys a region such as flood, drought, fire, tsunami, landslide, pollution, etc....
Posted by
Whistle-Blower
on
April 28, 2015 15:52
change can be explored it can be done leaves the question of unregistered businesses not with tourism and sport that should be who get a free ride but that's a technicality at this juncture .
Posted by
slickmelb
on
April 28, 2015 16:08
'We will test the idea on Phuket then take the 'Phuket model' to Krabi and Phang Nga,'' the island's Tourism and Sport Director, Santi Pawai, said today.
Are we not all tired of this empty rhetoric which never amounts to anything positive?
It is the same with every aspect of life on Phuket, whether public transport, beach mis-management, over crowding, over building, waste management, preservation of coral & the marine environment, etc, etc, etc ad infinitum
Posted by
Logic
on
April 28, 2015 16:25
Yes again nobody is responseble rescue has nothing to do with tourism a fisher boat in trouble or airplane with bangkok students or business people, rescue is a question for everybody can happen every where and with everybody so the money has too come from bankok same like government hospital etc.
Posted by
donald
on
April 28, 2015 18:22
So they need a budget of about 10m Baht per year to have adequate search and rescue resources available.
If Phuket airport has about 10 million passengers either arriving or departing annually, 1 Baht from each should just about do it.
Some of us may even be happy to contribute 2 Baht and double the resources and those quality tourists may even contribute 3 to allow for the necessary commissions!
Posted by
Manowar
on
April 28, 2015 20:25
Editor Comment:
Additional taxes for every specific purpose undermine the basics of good government and single-tax collection and becomes a potential source for greater corruption.
Before new taxes are invented (a tax for breathing, one for the use of toilet paper), how about the government explains what happens to the 1% provincial tax? It was meant to beautify Phuket's tourists facilities but we never heard about a single project funded by this tax income.
I agree it's a very bad idea!
Posted by
Hajo
on
April 29, 2015 08:13
I always laugh when we see how Phuket authorities tumble forward with money earning suggestions.
There is a tourist tax, with the very transparent Phuket figures of increasing numbers of Phuket tourists, that money box by now must be overflowing! Phuket is the richest province of Thailand, and Thai government organisations are not able to budget funds in advance in reserve for search and rescue? How weird. Why thai government always loose face by crying/lying "No budget" ? Why to go public with incompetence?
Posted by
Kurt
on
April 29, 2015 09:40
I agree Alan, its not an ideal situation.
However, the previous article on the same topic suggested their fuel budget had been exceeded for this month and the next by the search that did occur. It then stated that a 10km return trip consumed 700lts of fuel or approx. 35% of the monthly budget. In each month the fuel budget only allows them to travel about 60kms. They have some resources and they obviously have staff or employees which are a cost whether they search, train or whatever else they do but their ability to conduct a search or to continue with one based on a fuel allocation doesn't match the urgency of the action that was required. The fuel budget doesn't even allow them to do one sweep up and down the west coast in any one month period.
It is hard to understand why the limited resources that are available can not be fully utilised when required due to a fuel budget.
Posted by
Manowar
on
April 29, 2015 09:55
Why setting up a fund? Why is the divecenter/boat owner if different not footing the bill. Also, what about the diver themselves. Since he was an Instructor he should have DAN insurance or something similar. The bronze (lowest level) contributes up 5,000 Euro for search and rescue and 15,000 Euro for Gold level. That would go a long way to paying for gas. If going to Similans maybe make people have proper insurance or included that in the Thai compulsory insurance required by The OTD now that all toursit companies are supposed to pay to get the OTD liscense. Just a thought.
Posted by
jiminkata
on
April 29, 2015 11:07
Josh was a member of DAN but it had just expired prior to this trip. Definitely an oversight on my brothers part, but it just figures that it wasn't there to help the one time he needed it.
Posted by
jen
on
April 30, 2015 04:52
Manowar,
Phuket province already collects room tax 1% from hotel accommodation (guest houses are not included).
There is a widespread evasion, as half of the hotels (guests houses don't count here) are not registered as hotels , thus are not registered as tax paying subjects of this tax , thus Revenue department doesn't assess this tax, as enforcement on part of registration of the establishment as a hotel is on the province.
Moreover , the law allows to set room tax rates up to 3%.
This kind of tax is actually almost the best possible link between tourust coffers and local authorities.
But they pretend not to see the problem, not fight evasion, and only routinely complain about budget constrictions.
In regard of Marine Police, it is provably is somewhere in the Internal affairs ministry hierarchy, incl. budgetary appropriations.
Governor and Provincial authorities have their scope of budgetary appropriations powers, but certainly not in regard of those agencies which by law are financed by the central government.
In other countries, where special circumstances exist that required unusual level of service of central government agencies - like on Phuket, which is predominantly tourust destination - it is normal that local and central authorities conclude a cooperation contract where some customized bdg apportions contributed by local government in exchange of some larger presence and scope of service by central government agencies. Those local governments that are focused on a delivery of results they usually agree for such arrangements , other spend years yelling Our Bdg Is OUR Money - let the central government allocate their funds , but the problem stay unresolved .
Posted by
Sue
on
April 30, 2015 15:53
Sue,
The issue of search and rescue is not solely related to tourism and it is a government responsibility within its territorial waters.
While I believe we all know that Thai SAR resources are extremely limited, it is an unacceptable situation that the resources they do have are limited by fuel availability or budgets.
In addition and as stated in the previous article, the monthly budget of fuel was 2000 lts per month which allowed for the vessel to travel only 60 kms. 2 kms per day is hardly adequate nor could it be considered, in any situation, as reasonable funding of this service.
As correctly pointed out in other comments, individual taxes should not be required to fund essential services but in the mentioned case, the ability to extend the search or continue with it, was limited by budget constraints.
SAR should be a national responsibility and the initial control of an incident should be local to get resources into the search area quickly, then eventually handed over to experts.
Posted by
Manowar
on
April 30, 2015 17:12
Manowar,
Technically from the point of view of the state governance, S&R function is provided by the Central Government, not by the provincial authorities , or lower level local authorities.
Such design of lines of responsibility in Phuket case complicates adequate budgeting and functioning of S&R.
What you mentioned in the beginning of the last replic, is that S&R , in any case, shoukd provide at least minimum reasonable functionality - which is apparently not there at the moment.
Here we can draw parallels that even in U.S. many people receive for years a salary that is well under the living salary level, that is also for the modern world ,especially for a developed country and a Super Power, is unacceptable, but for political reasons will not be resolved any time soon. There is no such situation in Australia.
With that I meant that it is not possible to get all aspects of modern life to adhere even Ito the very minimum of acceptable standard : it is highly unlikely that the central government will increase significantly budget apportion for Phuket and nearby Marine Police units,incl.for political reasons , as is unlikely is that U.S. will get a minimum earning up to the living salary level , here mostly, but not only, for political reasons.
Solution is for province government to contribute with their funds, as this may provide much faster solution, and the Province - either executive or the Governor , should push for if - as there is no agents in the Government, who will pursue the issue on behalf of the province.
P.S. have you took in account an existence of the Phuket provincial room tax 1%, please?
Posted by
Sue
on
April 30, 2015 17:53
WOW
What a surprise!
Royal Thai Police has within its structure Patrolm Police Aerial Resupply unit (PARU), that has among its tasks "disaster and accident rescue on land and water including air-sea rescue".
Where is the PARU operating? Do they practisize air-sea rescue in Chiang Mai? Shouldn't it be with more focus on Phuket??
"Border Patrol Police Aerial Resupply Unit
The Border Patrol Police Aerial Resupply Unit (BPP PARU or just PARU) is the BPP's special forces unit responsible for training and supporting airborne operations, airborne reinforcement, disaster and accident rescue, and supporting special missions under the command of the Border Patrol Police. All members of PARU are trained for airborne operations including free-fall jumps. PARU provides support to the BPP Headquarters within 2 hours.
PARU also conducts training for the following:
unconventional warfare, international counter-terrorism prevention, and parachute training of the Royal Thai Police.
disaster and accident rescue on land and water including air-sea rescue"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Patrol_Police#Border_Patrol_Police_Aerial_Resupply_Unit
Posted by
Sue
on
April 30, 2015 22:47
Financial Times writes today on Thailand economy:
''Tourism is the only bright spot, but this requires sustained political stability,''
..and what attitude we see with all the incompetent policies et/not-eat, sunbed?no-sunbed and the world best jet-ski beaches coupled with libertarian attitude toward state function to provide effective S&R service on these golden-eggs waters?
http://goo.gl/tZpC69
Posted by
Sue
on
April 30, 2015 23:16
Sue
Correct and you will see that quite a few policemen have undergone the training they wear a gold colour
Colour badge of a paparachute on the collar of there
Shirts
Posted by
Michael
on
May 1, 2015 08:05
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Tourists made to pay for yet another basic infrastructure local administration should provide.
Bad idea and yet not surprising at all. How dare those pesky tourists come here and drown.
Posted by Herbert on April 28, 2015 15:14