Phuket boat disaster spurs response from Chinese President Xi Jinping

 

Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Lyu Jian (left) listens as Thailand Tourism & Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat (right) explains to the press how the disaster as become an international incident. Photo: PR Dept

PHUKET: Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on Thailand to ramp up safety for tourists in the wake of the tour boat disaster off Phuket that has claimed at least 33 lives.

 

The message was delivered by Thailand Tourism & Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat in person at the disaster operations command centre set up at the Phuket Marine Office at Chalong Pier last night (July 6), in the presence of Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Lyu Jian, who had travelled to Phuket to oversee international relations over the incident.

 

Minister Weerasak explained that Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha had also called on all people involved in any aspect in response to disaster to do their best.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-boat-disaster-spurs-response-from-chinese-president-xi-jinping-67789.php#bEqbvc58FJllfytM.97

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-07-07

 

 

Xi calls for all-out rescue efforts in yacht tragedy 

By The Nation

 

 

China’s President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to find and rescue missing people and treat the injured, after two boats with Chinese tourists on board sank in a storm off Thailand's southern resort island of Phuket, according to China Daily.

Of the 133 tourists that the two boats carried, 127 were Chinese, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Friday. Of the Chinese tourists, 78 were rescued, 33 are missing and 16 were found dead, Lu said, adding that some of the injured had been rushed to the hospital.

 

The Thai Embassy to Beijing earlier set up a desk to facilitate travel for the victim’s relatives to Thailand as well as provide information on the accident and rescue work, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Busadee Santipitaks said.

 

The Thai consulate in Beijing and Shanghai opened during the weekend to process visa applications to facilitate the travel to Thailand, she said.

 

Visa on arrival service also opened for Chinese at Thai airports, especially Phuket airport, she said.

 

Meanwhile, the Thai Foreign Ministry dispatched more officials to provide help to families and victims of the Phoenix dive yacht.

 

Officials from the ministry would help take care of a delegation of Chinese officials and reporters, who travelled to Phuket, following the accident, the spokesperson said.

 

The Phoenix and The Senereta boats capsized on Thursday afternoon while returning from Koh Racha to the island resort of Phuket. While passengers on board the Senereta were safe, serious casualties occurred at the Phoenix, which carried 93 passengers and 12 crew members.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349548

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-07

It would appear that  on this !

Hopefully this article will remain....unlike the previous article which seems to either been moved or re-moved from Thailand's Independent Newspaper.

11th June 2018:

"PHUKET:-- The Phuket Provincial Police commander has assured the Deputy Consul-General of the Chinese Consulate-general in Songkhla that everything is being done to keep Chinese tourists safe while holidaying in Phuket." 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The message was delivered by Thailand Tourism & Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat in person at the disaster operations command centre

Does this guy have ADD, the message was directed at him!

Chinese owned and Chinese run, through a nominated company, which I thought was illegal, I am being told. I am sure it will all eventually come out.

7 minutes ago, Megasin1 said:

Chinese owned and Chinese run, through a nominated company, which I thought was illegal, I am being told. I am sure it will all eventually come out.

 

Yes. Thai social media reporting just that. And it is illegal. But much better for Thais to blame another country. Makes a change from pointing to the usual Burmese suspect.

 

Blaming the Chinese is a bit more tricky ... 

51 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Yes. Thai social media reporting just that. And it is illegal. But much better for Thais to blame another country. Makes a change from pointing to the usual Burmese suspect.

 

Blaming the Chinese is a bit more tricky ... 

And the captain? Surely a job reserved for Thai's. ?

23 minutes ago, Goldieinkathu said:

And the captain? Surely a job reserved for Thai's. ?

 

Yes. Thai. First social reports say he did not want to leave harbour but was forced to by his boss. I say BS. For starter the sea was not that bad at the time he left harbour and many other tour boats left. If these reports are true then he is just covering his ass. Just like his 5m seas claim. Not my fault .... blah blah. I know what a 5m sea looks like (many times) and I don't see that high a sea at the time just before the boat sank.

2 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Yes. Thai. First social reports say he did not want to leave harbour but was forced to by his boss. I say BS. For starter the sea was not that bad at the time he left harbour and many other tour boats left. If these reports are true then he is just covering his ass. Just like his 5m seas claim. Not my fault .... blah blah. I know what a 5m sea looks like (many times) and I don't see that high a sea at the time just before the boat sank.

Wind against current  can easily stand a 2 meter wind wave into 5 metere 

but thats still not going to roll this ship. It rolled because 3 things probobly happened at once. A 5 meter wave set the boat into a roll , the passengers were shifted to leeward and a 60 knot wind gust finished the roll over.

This boat is too high for stability

Lots of thai boats seem to like the 3 story feature.

6 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Phuket boat disaster spurs response from Chinese President Xi Jinping

Maybe he should tell his country men, to look if it´s a safe time to take a boat tour too. I mean, the chinese tourist is not really known for being careful, right?

1 hour ago, Get Real said:

Maybe he should tell his country men, to look if it´s a safe time to take a boat tour too. I mean, the chinese tourist is not really known for being careful, right?

Yes, it's time to blame the victim.

16 hours ago, Megasin1 said:

Chinese owned and Chinese run, through a nominated company, which I thought was illegal, I am being told. I am sure it will all eventually come out.

Don't count on that.

Gosh, I hope this doesn't reflect badly on Thailand's reputation as a tourist destination.

Safety Standard in many Tourism Facilities in Thailand is unacceptable and many turn blind eye to those who do not adhere to safety rules.

Of course brown envelopes are in circulation to bend the rules etc.

That ferry and leisure boats business  as well as speed boats or jet ski etc etc are  strictly controlled by both local authority and Mafia. It is high time strict control and safety rules are applied  and that business open to locals and foreigners alike?

China will reform this country.

This could be a key point of discussion at the general's performance appraisal due at the end of this year.

21 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha had also called on all people involved in any aspect in response to disaster to do their best.

 

 

they were doing their their best precisely explains why the tragedy happened

Why not sue the Phuket Governor and the string of assorted officials who stated earlier this year that all was hunky dory when it came to tourist safety.

And he has a very good point.

The authorities need to start focusing on their jobs all the time , not just after a disaster has happened.

The roads are a classic example with STILL no mufti cops on the road checking the idiot drivers BEFORE they cause carnage.

But does anyone really care       obviously not

The Chinese people should be told by their Prime Minister that Thailand is a very dangerous country and they must NOT go there any more.  

23 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Yes. Thai social media reporting just that. And it is illegal. But much better for Thais to blame another country. Makes a change from pointing to the usual Burmese suspect.

 

Blaming the Chinese is a bit more tricky ... 

 

And better than pointing out the Thai authorities allowed it to happen.

Why is all the coverage of this on Thavisa being hidden away in the local forum rather than on the main Thailand news forum? Are they following instructions?

6 hours ago, Juan B Tong said:

Gosh, I hope this doesn't reflect badly on Thailand's reputation as a tourist destination.

No harm done with the Chinese tourist, just don't raise your trade tariffs with China.

A 5 metre swell would make the boats  in the various clips  momentarily  disappear as they passed.

There was no 5 metre swell...

Did all the Chinese go to the topp floor / level?

That could have caused some sway.