Pattaya police chief talks insurance as Chinese tourist dies on "seawalker" tour

 

Picture: Sanook

 

A 52 year old Chinese tourist has died after an accident while taking part in "seawalking" off Koh Lan.

 

The company that took her on the adventure has been charged with negligence causing death.

 

While the Pattaya police chief has been talking about the good work done to ensure that such operators and others are insured.

 

There are currently 18 operators of seawalker adventures. Tourists walk along the sea floor in a helmet with air pumped in from a support boat above.

 

But Jiang, 52, died while doing the activity off Hua Khot beach in Koh Lan.

 

On Sunday Pattaya station chief Apichai Krobpetch and tourist police head Piyapong Ensarn called in the operator of the company, Phasakorn, 44, reported Sanook.

 

Relatives of the deceased were present to hear the evidence. Phasakorn said that the company had been operating for two years.

 

Equipment was up to standard and was checked for problems by staff each morning.

 

Phasakorn said that the victim was walking 4 meters down when she started panicking and water entered the apparatus.

 

She was taken to Pattaya Memorial hospital but died later.

 

Charges of negligence causing death have been made.

 

Apichai said that the company was properly insured with a policy dated from October 1st. He took the opportunity to say that 18 seawalker companies, 10 banana boat operators and all jetskis were now insured in the event of an accident.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-11-06

What he does not say is how much they are insured for  

37 minutes ago, canopus1969 said:

What he does not say is how much they are insured for  

Or the extent of the cover.

As long as it doesn,t affect tourist numbers no one will give a toss......it was only a tourist after all

R.I.P. to the lady and her family

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Phasakorn said that the victim was walking 4 meters down when she started panicking and water entered the apparatus.

Why does the article only print the statements of the company involved? They (the company) appear to blame the death on the victim. The reader may come away with a very wrong impression.

 

The press should inform the reader of which independent body will be carrying out the investigation of the death. They should aim to be more balanced. Printing the statements of the company as fact is poor reporting. Perhaps they could keep a tally of how many Chinese on holiday in Thailand have died in drowning incidents when on a guided tour. The number certainly seems to be very high.

1 hour ago, canopus1969 said:

What he does not say is how much they are insured for  

Insurance coverage limits aren't the issue.  It's how much value Thailand's insurance and judicial systems put into a lost life.  While the insurers will often cover medical costs, history shows that the system typically puts a tag of under US $5,000 on a life.  The insurance coverage is probably adequate to cover that, and the company directors could be liable for any shortfall, if there is a judicial finding of criminal negligence against the company.

6 minutes ago, zaphod reborn said:

Insurance coverage limits aren't the issue.  It's how much value Thailand's insurance and judicial systems put into a lost life.  While the insurers will often cover medical costs, history shows that the system typically puts a tag of under US $5,000 on a life.  The insurance coverage is probably adequate to cover that, and the company directors could be liable for any shortfall, if there is a judicial finding of criminal negligence against the company.

Also, the minimum payable for loss of life should be set at USD$100,000, to be paid within 30 days of death.

 

Edited November 6, 20178 yr by Banana7

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Equipment was up to standard and was checked for problems by staff each morning.

Other aspects are:

Staff training??? Buy whom???

Regular manufacturers approved engineer inspections of equipment???

 

Of coerce if they are properly insured their insurance company would have already insisted on this.  

Quote

Phasakorn said that the victim was walking 4 meters down when she started panicking and water entered the apparatus.

Just guessing, but I'd imagine the victim STARTED panicking BECAUSE water had begun entering her helmet and she was unable to breath.  That would certainly get me panicking...

 

Just three words about these kinds of ventures in Thailand: unsafe, unsafe, unsafe.

 

OK four: AVOID!

 

5 hours ago, Briggsy said:

 Perhaps they could keep a tally of how many Chinese on holiday in Thailand have died in drowning incidents when on a guided tour. The number certainly seems to be very high.

Really?  Seems to be very high?  How many is that, then?

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Just guessing, but I'd imagine the victim STARTED panicking BECAUSE water had begun entering her helmet and she was unable to breath.  That would certainly get me panicking...

 

Just three words about these kinds of ventures in Thailand: unsafe, unsafe, unsafe.

 

OK four: AVOID!

 

Nothing like a bit of speculation to taint the thread, is there?

 

"Just three words about these kinds of ventures in Thailand: unsafe, unsafe, unsafe."

Probably the huge majority that didn't drown would disagree with you.

1 hour ago, Just Weird said:

Nothing like a bit of speculation to taint the thread, is there?

 

"Just three words about these kinds of ventures in Thailand: unsafe, unsafe, unsafe."

Probably the huge majority that didn't drown would disagree with you.

 

I wasn't limiting that to diving, although fatal diving "accidents" certainly happen here.

 

I was including the whole variety: speedboats, zip line adventures, elephant riding, swimming and getting sliced open by boat propellers, police falling to their deaths from airplanes because their colleagues embezzled the funds and substituted bad equipment, riding in mini-death-vans, taking overnight interprovincial buses, etc etc etc.

 

Not to mention the 3 or 5K baht that the company's insurance policy will probably pay out for the insured death. Afterall, life and death is REALLY cheap in Thailand.

 

 

11 hours ago, Just Weird said:

Nothing like a bit of speculation to taint the thread, is there?

 

"Just three words about these kinds of ventures in Thailand: unsafe, unsafe, unsafe."

Probably the huge majority that didn't drown would disagree with you.

And those that did probably can't either.

On 06/11/2017 at 5:14 PM, Banana7 said:

Also, the minimum payable for loss of life should be set at USD$100,000, to be paid within 30 days of death.

 

Me thinks you left a zero out, as the cost to fly the body to China and burial wouldn't be cheap

On 11/6/2017 at 10:54 AM, webfact said:

Equipment was up to standard and was checked for problems by staff each morning.

Oh reeeeaaaaally!?  Yea right, wrong country

On ‎11‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 10:14 PM, Banana7 said:

Also, the minimum payable for loss of life should be set at USD$100,000, to be paid within 30 days of death.

 

If you polled the average Thai with this number, they'd just think you were another crazy farang.  So if the western value on human life is a prerequisite for you, I'm not sure Thailand is where you want to be...

 

Edited November 8, 20178 yr by hawker9000