PHUKET: The Booze Cruise went to the bottom of the sea off Phuket's Chalong Pier late today with 19 Russians on board.
It wasn't the kind of sinking to cause too many problems. The Booze Cruise was a short distance from Chalong Pier and the shore, so everyone on board either swam or perhaps even walked to safety, or was picked up by a passing speedboat.
Interest mostly centred on the reason for the sinking. The Booze Cruise hit a concrete block designed to anchor a buoy that designates a safe passage.
But this concrete block had no buoy attached.
It was, according to others on the shore at Chalong, the fourth time in two days that boats had struck the concrete block.
The block shouldn't be where it is, locals say.
Three boats suffered damage, the Booze Cruise sank.
At high tide, there's no problem with what yachties describe as a ''derelict block.'' At low tide, as boat owners are discovering, it's a different matter.
Atilla Dungor, the Turkish owner of the Booze Cruise business, told Phuketwan tonight that he rents the boat from its Thai owner.
Asked exactly what happened, he said: ''The bottom of the boat hit one of the concrete bricks.
''It was about 20 metres from safety. Some of the people on board swam off the boat, others were picked up by speedboat. It wasn't a risky situation.''
He said the boat went out to Coral Island whenever there was a booking. ''I am really upset right now, maybe we can talk some other time,'' he said.
Mr Dungor said he would be talking to his lawyer tomorrow.
The Chief of Phuket's Marine Office 5, Phuripat Theerakulpisut, went to the scene of the sinking.
He said the sinking couldn't be the fault of Marine Office 5, which set up the buoys at Chalong. He suggested that the captain of the boat could be to blame.
It wasn't the kind of sinking to cause too many problems. The Booze Cruise was a short distance from Chalong Pier and the shore, so everyone on board either swam or perhaps even walked to safety, or was picked up by a passing speedboat.
Interest mostly centred on the reason for the sinking. The Booze Cruise hit a concrete block designed to anchor a buoy that designates a safe passage.
But this concrete block had no buoy attached.
It was, according to others on the shore at Chalong, the fourth time in two days that boats had struck the concrete block.
The block shouldn't be where it is, locals say.
Three boats suffered damage, the Booze Cruise sank.
At high tide, there's no problem with what yachties describe as a ''derelict block.'' At low tide, as boat owners are discovering, it's a different matter.
Atilla Dungor, the Turkish owner of the Booze Cruise business, told Phuketwan tonight that he rents the boat from its Thai owner.
Asked exactly what happened, he said: ''The bottom of the boat hit one of the concrete bricks.
''It was about 20 metres from safety. Some of the people on board swam off the boat, others were picked up by speedboat. It wasn't a risky situation.''
He said the boat went out to Coral Island whenever there was a booking. ''I am really upset right now, maybe we can talk some other time,'' he said.
Mr Dungor said he would be talking to his lawyer tomorrow.
The Chief of Phuket's Marine Office 5, Phuripat Theerakulpisut, went to the scene of the sinking.
He said the sinking couldn't be the fault of Marine Office 5, which set up the buoys at Chalong. He suggested that the captain of the boat could be to blame.
Would this happen in Europe, the US, OZ, NZ no - come on Thailand all these billions of Baht coming in from the tourists - take care of them, they are supporting Phuket's economy. Get the block removed or flagged tomorrow.
Posted by Happy Farang on February 26, 2013 21:21