No More Accidents: Phuket Governor Tells Marine 5 Chief to Ensure Tourists' Safety
By Prasit Tarnsirisin Wednesday, December 17, 2014
PHUKET: Marine safety was the number one priority for Phuket this high season, Governor Nisit Jansomwong told a meeting yesterday, singling out the Chief of Marine Office 5, Phuripat Theerakulpisut.
The governor left the gathering about road and marine safety briefly but when he returned he said: ''Phuripat, no more accidents. I am not concerned about roads so much as marine safety.
''When ambassadors and consuls visit me, they are always concerned about marine safety.''
Khun Phuripat saluted the governor at this point. The governor said: ''If you are in the Navy, that's ok but you are not.''
Khun Phuripat said he would like to meet the consuls to talk to them about marine safety.
Governor Nisit: ''Before you are replaced, you will have a chance to meet them.''
The governor said that he remained concerned about buses and mini-vans from other provinces coming to Phuket without being aware of the hilly nature of roads on the island.
He told the meeting at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation that he wanted the checkpoint at Thung Tong, at the base of Patong Hill, to be used more effectively to check buses and minivans.
He said he had also received a photograph of passengers on a Phuket speedboat without lifejackets despite an undertaking from Khun Phuripat that his officers would make sure they were being worn at all times.
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Comments
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So is Phuripat's jacket on a shaky peg, or is this just today's show of force?
Posted by
phonus
on
December 17, 2014 11:30
Real simple!..you want safety?...get rid of jet skis and para sails and the waters will be safe. It ain't rocket science
Posted by
sky
on
December 17, 2014 11:32
Pw. Does this give any hope to assume to get new (needed) changes in Allowance/permission/location's for jetskis, parasailers & speedboats?
Secondly is my interpretation correct when I conclude that Khun Phuripat will get reasigned/replaced away from Phuket Marine 5.
Posted by
phuketgreed
on
December 17, 2014 11:58
Editor Comment:
All aspects of the beaches are under review.
Send him to Nakhon Nowhere to supervise buffalo bathing allocations along the Mekong. That's about as much responsibility as he should ever again be given.
Posted by
Herbert
on
December 17, 2014 12:32
Well, that has left me nearly speechless! Of course everyone welcomes the Governors speech to the Marine 5. chef, let's hope something comes of it. But, to say he is not concerned so much about road accidents is crazy. Thais and tourists are dying and injured every day on Phuket roads, so he doesn't care about this, it's not so important? I think Phuket officials should start doing their jobs, and putting a stop to all these accidents once and for all, from the kamikaze van and tuc tuc drivers, para sailers and jet skis , and sink holes that caused the life of one lovely little girl, all because the local administration couldn't put up a danger sign and barrier, shame on them all!!!
Posted by
Elizabeth
on
December 17, 2014 12:56
Well done to the Governor - i guess he too is as confused as the rest of us as to Khun Phurithats behaviour in this matter.
Well done
Posted by
Ciaran
on
December 17, 2014 13:28
No more 'accidents'? No more tourists hurt by speedboats and get hospitalized? No more speed boats with tourists without life jacket? With present Chief of marine Office 5 the governor will never achieve this target.
Posted by
Kurt
on
December 17, 2014 13:46
The only responsibility the Marine 5 office takes seriously is making sure jet-ski and parasailer businesses operate smoothly. Last month they gave them Phuket's beaches.
Posted by
Kamalala
on
December 17, 2014 13:52
On the subject of enquiries and warnings, whatever happened to the enquiry into the bribes being demanded by Phuket Immigration? The response was due weeks ago - never saw an outcome to that.
How strange !
Posted by
Amazing Thailand
on
December 17, 2014 13:52
'K Phuripat- this is your very very very very very very very very very very very last warning ( until the next one)' said the Gov. To his credit though he seems just as tired of the man as the rest of us.
Posted by
Mister Ree
on
December 17, 2014 14:53
"Governor Nisit: "Before you are replaced, you will have a chance to meet them."" Perhaps I'm taking the quote out of context, but I feel there is a glimmer of hope K. Phuripat will moved on. Fingers crossed.
Posted by
Duncan
on
December 17, 2014 15:36
Bribes, rip-offs, lack of safety, expensive, Immigration hostile......even the bar girls are miserable these days as there is little money around - join the dots why is Phuket so quiet these days and losing quality tourists. Now that one of their preferred countries who get 90 days on arrival, Russia is economically collapsing there will be far less Russians coming, the Rouble has around halved in the last two years against many currencies. This only leaves the Chinese and I do not think they are the elite Chinese coming here. Phuket is in one big mess. The biggest problem is GREED.
Posted by
Feisty Farang
on
December 17, 2014 16:00
NOT concerned about road accidents? Has the governor any idea how many people were injured and how many were killed by roadaccidents in 2014? If he wants safety please let him begin where it is needed most.
Posted by
Martijn
on
December 17, 2014 19:01
Editor Comment:
The governor said at a meeting about road and sea safety that his present priority was marine safety. That doesn't mean he's not concerned about the roads. He urged a better checkpoint system for buses and minivans.
When I went to Phi Phi last week, the guides said - You only have to wear the Life Jacket when you approach the harbour and leave the harbour. Otherwise, you don't need it. They then talked about how they would get fined, so made sure everyone wore it before we docked at RPM. - Yes, I can name who said this and which company.
Posted by
Tbs
on
December 17, 2014 19:57
Editor Comment:
Please supply the names, TBS. We'll pass them on.
Yes Phuket and Thailand are not as safe like for example Europe,but please don't overegulate everything becaus Asia and a little bit of chaos is also charming and rejuvenating don't get me wrong on this one but drive safely and enjoy the freedom because too much safety has a price also.
Posted by
Khun Philippe
on
December 17, 2014 21:50
Yeah Mr. Phuripat... no more accidents... or I'll...I'll... I'll have to turn them into misunderstandings! What a load of horse crap, and we all know it. This is nothing more than posturing to make people believe that someone actually cares. They don't. And the foolish statement "I am not concerned about roads so much as marine safety"... yeah right. If the Gubner had any real concerns about marine safety, then the jetskis and boats would have been banned after one of the thugs ran over a girl on the beach, a Russian jetski death a day or so later, and a near miss between a surfer and jetski in Surin that was caught on film.
Posted by
Ed Sanders
on
December 17, 2014 23:15
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So is Phuripat's jacket on a shaky peg, or is this just today's show of force?
Posted by phonus on December 17, 2014 11:30