PHUKET: The Chief of Phuket's Marine Office 5, Phuripat Theerakulpisut, said today that he would investigate complaints by tourists about a day-trip that left them stranded on a speedboat between Phi Phi and Phuket.
''Not enough life jackets? Really?'' Khun Phuripat said after an outline of the complaints by tourists was given to him.
He said that if the speedboat, carrying 66 passengers, had run out of fuel, it would be the fault of the company involved.
Passengers who were on the vessel complained to Phuketwan today about the lack of care on yesterday's day trip.
Their ordeal lasted several hours before a Marine Police vessel arrived to tow them to safety on Phuket.
The speedboat either ran out of fuel or had its fuel line severed after leaving Phi Phi for the easy return journey back to Phuket.
Passengers said that the stranding was ''truly a horrible experience'' with ''people being sick everywhere'' and ''scared kids.''
Tourists from Australia, India, France, Germany, Spain, Malaysia and Thailand were reported to be on board.
Strongest of the accusations is that there weren't enough life jackets to go around.
Khun Phuripat has been campaigning for better safety on tourist vessels, and figures in a billboard with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha promoting the wearing of life jackets.
''The campaign has been very successful because there haven't been any accidents,'' Khun Phuripat said.
However, Phuket speedboat operators mostly have an outlook that does not include fitting all passengers with life jackets on every trip.
Phuketwan has seen evidence that life jackets are not worn on many tourist trips that start from Phuket.
''We don't have a lot of staff to check these things,'' Khun Phuripat said. ''We try to put staff on every pier on Phuket to check that all boats conform.
''With more staff, we could guarantee the safety of all tourists.''
Khun Phuripat's biggest concern is that the Bangkok floods will produce cutbacks in some areas to help other areas recover - and his fear is that tourism safety won't get the boost it needs in next year's national budget.
Latest message from a reader:
We were on the boat 2 adults and 1 child (4 years) from Germany, it was an absolute nightmare, as quickly if at all we will make no more boat tour, in no case more in Thailand.
It is incomprehensible for us why we had to wait so long for help? We thank all those involved have helped the boat to stay afloat and to help organise for the constant use.
Christian GERMANY
Bangkok Hopes Overflow Banks as Floods are Checked''Not enough life jackets? Really?'' Khun Phuripat said after an outline of the complaints by tourists was given to him.
He said that if the speedboat, carrying 66 passengers, had run out of fuel, it would be the fault of the company involved.
Passengers who were on the vessel complained to Phuketwan today about the lack of care on yesterday's day trip.
Their ordeal lasted several hours before a Marine Police vessel arrived to tow them to safety on Phuket.
The speedboat either ran out of fuel or had its fuel line severed after leaving Phi Phi for the easy return journey back to Phuket.
Passengers said that the stranding was ''truly a horrible experience'' with ''people being sick everywhere'' and ''scared kids.''
Tourists from Australia, India, France, Germany, Spain, Malaysia and Thailand were reported to be on board.
Strongest of the accusations is that there weren't enough life jackets to go around.
Khun Phuripat has been campaigning for better safety on tourist vessels, and figures in a billboard with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha promoting the wearing of life jackets.
''The campaign has been very successful because there haven't been any accidents,'' Khun Phuripat said.
However, Phuket speedboat operators mostly have an outlook that does not include fitting all passengers with life jackets on every trip.
Phuketwan has seen evidence that life jackets are not worn on many tourist trips that start from Phuket.
''We don't have a lot of staff to check these things,'' Khun Phuripat said. ''We try to put staff on every pier on Phuket to check that all boats conform.
''With more staff, we could guarantee the safety of all tourists.''
Khun Phuripat's biggest concern is that the Bangkok floods will produce cutbacks in some areas to help other areas recover - and his fear is that tourism safety won't get the boost it needs in next year's national budget.
Latest message from a reader:
We were on the boat 2 adults and 1 child (4 years) from Germany, it was an absolute nightmare, as quickly if at all we will make no more boat tour, in no case more in Thailand.
It is incomprehensible for us why we had to wait so long for help? We thank all those involved have helped the boat to stay afloat and to help organise for the constant use.
Christian GERMANY
Latest Is the worst over? Can the drying out begin? These questions were being asked as Bangkok's anticipated biggest test of a peak flood failed to arrive as scheduled.
Bangkok Hopes Overflow Banks as Floods are Checked
Accused Phuket Gold Raider 'Had Huge Football Punting Debt'
Latest A young man who ran a convenience store raided a jewellery shop in Phuket City to repay a football gambling debt of 200,000 baht, police say. The suspect is being held without bail.
Accused Phuket Gold Raider 'Had Huge Football Punting Debt'
Phuket Shelves Plundered, Patong Nightlife Price Rises Likely
Latest Shoppers are raiding shelves across Phuket during the five day ''hoarding day'' with essentials and non-essentials disappearing at lightning speed, and price rises tipped.
Phuket Shelves Plundered, Patong Nightlife Price Rises Likely
Phuket Couple in Lovers' Leap Riddle: Shoes, Parked Car Found on Bridge
UPDATE A search is underway for a young couple after their shoes and a rented car were found on one of Phuket's main bridges. The couple were workers at Blue Canyon.
Phuket Couple in Lovers' Leap Riddle: Shoes, Parked Car Found on Bridge
Russian Drops Dead in Foyer of Patong Resort
UPDATE Doctors are looking at whether a Russian man who collapsed and died in the foyer of a Patong hospital had been drinking to excess. He was aged about 40.
Russian Drops Dead in Foyer of Patong Resort
Really? Is this the same Phuripat in charge of jet-skis and transport at the Deep Sea Port?
Posted by mike on October 30, 2011 10:39
Editor Comment:
The same.