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Teen Survives Phuket Jet-Ski Deaths 'Replay'
By Phuketwan Reporters Thursday, December 2, 2010
A 13-YEAR-OLD tourist from Ireland was taken for a medical checkup at a Phuket hospital this afternoon after a jet-ski crashed into a boat off a Phuket beach.
The crash, believed to have involved property damage, occurred a day after two Chinese tourists died when their jet-ski crashed into a catamaran off the beach at nearby Patong yesterday.
Today's crash came off Relax Bay, an arc of sand just south of Patong, the island's main jet-ski beach. Relax Bay is the home of one hotel, the Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort.
A Phuketwan reporter encountered the Irish teenager, whose name is Ben, at Phuket International Hospital in Phuket City this afternoon.
He was accompanied by his parents. The parents declined to reveal more about the incident. Staff at the resort declined to comment.
Although jet-skis are occasionally seen in Relax Bay on swoops south from Patong or north from Karon beach, and sometimes even spotted on the beach at the resort, Le Meridien does not own jet-skis and discourages their presence.
Regulations covering jet-ski operations on Phuket prohibit anyone under 20 from hiring a vehicle, a jet-ski association official said today, unless parental permission is given.
Once a jet-ski is hired from any beach on Phuket, there are no restrictions on where that jet-ski can be taken.
An insurance official told Phuketwan today that the ''world first'' Phuket jet-ski insurance policy that was put in place last year pays out a maximum of 50,000 baht in the event of a death, 50,000 baht in damage to a jet-ski, and a maximum 25,000 baht in the event of third-party property damage.
The maximum payout on yesterday's double fatality at Patong beach would be 50,000 baht to the families of each of the young married holidaymakers, 50,000 baht to the owner of the damaged jet-ski, and 25,000 baht to the owner of the catamaran. Questions of safety have been raised following the deaths of two tourists in a horrific jetski crash. Is it time to isolate the skis and boats from swimmers and other hazards?
Patong Jet-Ski Death Families Flying to Phuket
Two Tourists Killed as Phuket Jet-Ski Hits Catamaran
Photo Album Two tourists have been killed when their jetski crashed into a catamaran off Patong around 11.15am. The deaths are likely to bring instant action on controls over jet skis.
Two Tourists Killed as Phuket Jet-Ski Hits Catamaran
Patong Tourists 'Deliberately Crashed' Jet-Skis
Latest A pair of Australian tourists admitted deliberately crashing two jet skis but were not prepared to pay the 250,000 baht asking price for repairs. They settled on 80,000 baht.
Patong Tourists 'Deliberately Crashed' Jet-Skis
Riled Phuket Tourist Pays Extra Jet-Ski Charge
UPDATE A Phuketwan journalist in Patong encounters JJ Naiman engaged in a mediation debate with a Russian tourist at Kathu Police Station. After a lengthy mediation, the tourist pays up.
Riled Phuket Tourist Pays Extra Jet-Ski Charge
Fresh Rip-Off Claim in Phuket Jet-Ski Turmoil
Latest A tourist from South Africa claims to have paid an extra 69,000 baht to a jet ski operator at Patong despite having an insurance policy covering damage.
Fresh Rip-Off Claim in Phuket Jet-Ski Turmoil
Phuket Jet-Ski Man 'Free, Back in Singapore'
Latest A Singapore tourist who had surrendered his passport to police after a fatal jet ski collision is back home, says a Singapore newspaper.
Phuket Jet-Ski Man 'Free, Back in Singapore'
Phuket Jet-Ski Disaster: Coma Victim Flying Home
Latest A young tourist is in a coma and expected to suffer permanent brain damage after a jet ski collision. His friends say Phuket beach emergency procedures need to be improved.
Phuket Jet-Ski Disaster: Coma Victim Flying Home
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
Same same, just different days and hours. How sad and no control over jet skis.
Weep for your tourist losses Phuket, the world reads PhuketWan, too.
Posted by
Robin
on
December 2, 2010 15:42
This is absolutely comical....How many incidents will it take before something concrete is done?....
Posted by
sky
on
December 2, 2010 16:11
25,000 baht payout for damage to boat
50,000 baht payout for damage to jetski
50,000 baht payout for death
What a wonderful insurance policy.
The jetski owner gets double what any third party gets, and the parents of the dead get the same as the jetski owner.
Posted by
Mike Boyd
on
December 2, 2010 17:18
I wonder what the regulations covering Jet-Ski rentals are since the whole operation is illegal.
Perhaps this Jet-Ski association "official" could be asked for a copy of those regulations.
If the Thai law stipulates that a person under the age of 20 and without a Captains license can't operate a Jet-Ski, no parental consent can override that.
If the authorities really can't be made to do their duty, I guess it takes an expat to start suing these operators for what certainly amounts to an impressive list of violations under Thai law.
What we need is an organisation of Expats. As individuals we are weak but as a group we might actually be able to achieve something.
I wonder if we need a work permit for that though.
Posted by
Chris
on
December 2, 2010 18:28
Editor Comment:
Expats have a voice every three months at the meetings between honorary consuls, embassy representatives and Phuket's Governor and island leaders. If you have something to say, say it to your honorary consul or embassy.
Swimmers need to be separated or the next type of accident that could easily occur is a jet ski running over someone snorkelling.
I have seen it nearly happening on a canoe trip I was running and two jet skis came right through a group of thirty people snorkelling
Posted by
Michael
on
December 2, 2010 19:08
Letting a 13 year old out on a jet-ski says a lot. The jet-ski boys must have been rubbing their hands with glee when they saw this one coming!
Posted by
Mister Ree
on
December 2, 2010 20:14
As the story mentioned, no one involved is talking about the details which would include the settlement to the jet ski boys. If Ben and his family are staying at the pricey Le Meridien, then one would expect that the boys are indeed rubbing their hands with glee at their anticipated "winnings". Unless that hotel has the proper connections.
In line with most of the comments on Phuketwan, I am for significantly fewer jet ski boys and many more (or any at all) jet ski buoys.
Meanwhile, the jet ski boys up in Pattaya continue to run riot. Latest report is of an Irish tourist who had one of the boys pull a large knife on him in order to speed up the "damage" settlement process.
Posted by
Treelover
on
December 2, 2010 21:30
errr - it was an accident waiting to happen. I hate to think what the bill will be on this one. Will they have to pay for every day the jet-ski is off the water as evidence?
Posted by
Mister Ree
on
December 2, 2010 21:42
ED - Because you are idiot.
Posted by
mogzy
on
December 2, 2010 22:12
Editor Comment:
Idiots are people who call other people names, Mogzy. I don't.
I fully agree with Chris. Although the editor is correct in saying that a complaint should be made to the honorary consuls.
However, in both the last TWO cases, the poor Chinese couple and Ben, each should seek legal advice and maybe see if it is possible initiate legal proceedings.
If all officials allow illegal activity they should be responsible, under law, for their actions.
Posted by
Graham
on
December 3, 2010 12:36
Nonsense, Only farang are held under liability for there actions here in Thailand.
The only time the Thai's feel any liability is when they step on the toes of an untouchable government/ police figure
Things haven't changed as of yet with thousands of people crying about it on other web forums. And its not going to change now either......
You've got to take the good with the bad,,, technically we are not aloud to drink beer after midnight, were not aloud to drive without International licenses, and were not aloud to fund the gogo girl industry.
If we didn't have these crooked officials, we wouldn't have any fun at all.... and we'd all be paying about 1200 baht every time we needed a new T-shirt.
Posted by
Kevin
on
December 3, 2010 17:32
Editor Comment:
This isn't a chat forum for expats, Kevin. It's a comment section that appends to articles on an Internet news and information site. It's read by Thais and people from other places who don't fit your description of ''we.'' There are also plenty of expats who don't lead your kind of life, don't cry on web forums, and don't agree with your outlook. Why not try making fewer false and bigoted assumptions?
And please settle for ''me'' instead of ''we.''
Ok, Me instead of we..!!!
So thanks for informing me that i am the only person in the country who is affected by officials who allow illegal activity and are not held responsible, under law, for their actions.
I guess everyone else who reads this including the above commentors, Thai nationals and the unlucky teen who was sent out into the water without proper qualification have never been effected by this phonomin.
Thanks for setting me straight Editor.
Since your using you editorial privileges to label my clear perception of the circumstances false and bigoted. Perhaps i am free to label you editorial decisions as "blind to reality"
Posted by
Kevin
on
December 3, 2010 19:16
Editor Comment:
Of course. But that would be misinformation, too.
Our reality is dealing every day from both the inside and the outside with the kinds of encounters that you only see from the perspective of an outsider, and one with a narrow, biased viewpoint. It may be true of some encounters but once you say that it's always true of every encounter, you've lapsed into bigotry. Best to treat individuals as . . . individuals. We can confirm that there is no conspiracy. But there is widespread paranoia. Best to cure the paranoia.
"Cure the paranoia" In reference to crooked officials in Thailand?? Sounds like the words of someone who is "blind to reality"
If this was another topic, which it isn't, I'd tell you to ask some of the tourist police, who repeatedly tell victims of crime that its safest to "forget it ever happened". As our two Irish tourists were told in Pattaya.
Ask them if there's a (as you put it) "Conspiracy"
Posted by
Kevin
on
December 3, 2010 20:12
Editor Comment:
So your Pattaya experience leads you to be convinced all expats are treated poorly throughout Thailand?
Editor
I'm sure your thrilled to be privilidged to the "insiders prespective" I'm sure lissening to other insiders filling your gulable mind with stories of change and fake shows of effort to make that change. However, I assure you, dispite the fact that you buy it, I would have to assume, and doing so from conversing with many people of many prespectives, i'd have to assume the vast majority of your readers are not buying the same BS. I also assure you that you are being laughed at in your beliveing what they want you to belive, and assure you that you are being used as a tool and a vessel for attempts to model the image of the very people who poision this island.
It is however entertaining to see these efforts from the prespective of someone with enough brains to not buy it.
Posted by
Kevin
on
December 3, 2010 20:20
That has nothing to do with what i said, but.. since you ask..
I don't think there is an expat out there who will disagree that when a farang becomes a victim of crime they are too often brushed off by those who meant to assist them. Yes
However in a general sense in day to day life we are treated great. Thailands one of the best places in the world to live.
And i'm also sure that 13 year old boy was thrilled that he was permitted to rent the jetski also, as he would surely be denied elsewhere....
Posted by
Kevin
on
December 3, 2010 20:32
Editor Comment:
You've written a case history for which there is no evidence, and unnecessarily multiplied levels of anxiety a thousand times.
Paranoia, Kevin. That's the problem.
amazing commentz I must say. Every (sheep) wants the authorities to "do something about it" What, you want your pasture made safe for you? BAAAH! Anyone who rents a jetski in LOS deserves to be ripped off in a "damage" scam for starters.
Posted by
bemused
on
December 5, 2010 06:39
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Same same, just different days and hours. How sad and no control over jet skis.
Weep for your tourist losses Phuket, the world reads PhuketWan, too.
Posted by Robin on December 2, 2010 15:42