Phuket boats banned from leaving port

By The Thaiger

 

 

Some Phuket boats have been banned to leaving port today (July 6). Tourist Police have warned tour operators not to leave from Phuket’s piers.

 

The Phuket Marine Office Chief, Surat Sirisaiyat, says, “The Phuket Marine Office has been informed from the Meteorological Department that heavy rains and strong winds will hit the southern part of Thailand on the Andaman Sea. Waves are predicted up to three metres today (July 6).”

 

“The Phuket Marine Office has announced that any boat, less than 10 metres long, which was planning to travel to Phi Phi Island and Racha Island today, is not allowed to leave ports. Boats heading to Phang Nga Bay, Koh Lon and islands closer to Phuket are permitted to leave port and proceed with caution.”

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/phuket-boats-banned-from-leaving-port

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2018-07-06

From another, concurrent thread:

 

Smoking Boontham, captain of the dive boat ‘Phoenix’, was carrying 105 passenger – 93 tourists, 12 boat crew and tour guides – says, “Yesterday (July 5) we left Chalong Pier at 9am heading to Koh Racha. After that we were heading back to Chalong pier at 4:30pm.”

 

“When we were near Mong Cape, about two nautical miles from Koh Hei, 4-5 metres wave hit the front part of our boat. Sea water flushed inside the vessel. The water pump was not fast enough to pump water out and the boat began to lean.”

 

So, a boat that can carry 105 passengers sank in 4-5 meter seas, and they're only banning boats less than 10 meters from leaving port for Phi Phi and Racha, and even the <10 meter boats are allowed to leave port for the closer islands?

 

What could possibly go wrong?

 

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

Phuket boats banned from leaving port

Boat is only as good as the captain who runs and cares for it!

Doesn't matter what size!!!!

What's the saying. Close stable doors after horse bolted. Anyhow it's all lip service until the media attention dies down. Then business as usual.

No boats leaving from Chalong pier this morning.

 

Quite a few of the speedboats are 35 feet, so just over 10 meters. Don't think this will hamper too many.

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

No boats leaving from Chalong pier this morning.

 

Quite a few of the speedboats are 35 feet, so just over 10 meters. Don't think this will hamper too many.

 

One would hope that 3+ meter seas would discourage them, even if the authorities don't have the juevos to protect the tourists and the crews from the lure of crazy dangerous $$$.

 

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

One would hope that 3+ meter seas would discourage them, even if the authorities don't have the juevos to protect the tourists and the crews from the lure of crazy dangerous $$$.

 

1,5 meter waves or so at the moment.

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

1,5 meter waves or so at the moment.

 

That doesn't sound so bad, but look at the freeboard of those go-fast clones and even that's a disaster in the works if they get sideways to the swells.  Especially when they're loaded beyond their safe handling capacity with warm bodies.

 

Plus, the seas can kick up in a hurry, so the more important number is the maximum forecasted height during the day's outing.  With a little bit of a safety margin on top of the forecast.  It's not uncommon to leave port in the morning into a glass-smooth ocean, and come back in the evening with half the passengers puking their guts up because the seas have built up so fast. 

 

It happens to us all the time in offshore operation in the GOT.  I can't imagine it's any better on the Andaman side.  And once they get their passengers out to the islands, the financial pressures to get them back to their hotels on time is probably pretty hard to resist.

 

What is the attraction to tourists to get in a boat, any boat in these conditions. Better off in the hotel bar.

Is just a little bit too late....

38 minutes ago, Oziex1 said:

What is the attraction to tourists to get in a boat, any boat in these conditions. Better off in the hotel bar.

 

 It's all part of the pre-paid charter holiday door to door in paradise island ...

4 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

What is the attraction to tourists to get in a boat, any boat in these conditions. Better off in the hotel bar.

For all the grief they take the Chinese tourists are here to tour and see the sites. Unfortunately, they and most

tourists rely on the good judgment of the boat captains and bus drivers to shepherd them around and make

the safety calls that are supposed to keep them safe.