Marine Department chief bans deadly tour speedboat drivers, calls for captain training

By The Phuket News

 

Marine Department Chief Witthaya Yamuang inspects the site of the tour speedboat collision yesterday afternoon (Feb 10). Photo: PR Dept

 

PHUKET: Marine Department Chief Witthaya Yamuang arrived in Phuket yesterday afternoon to be briefed personally on the tour speedboat collision that killed two Russian children and injured more than a dozen more tourists earlier yesterday morning (Feb 10).

 

The collision, between tour boat ALP 111 and the tour speedboat Payan 5, occurred in the channel linking Phuket Boat Lagoon and Royal Phuket Marina to Phang Nga Bay at about 8am.

 

Marine Department Chief Witthaya visited both marinas and the site of the collision as part of his inspection.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/marine-department-chief-bans-deadly-tour-speedboat-drivers-calls-for-captain-training-74772.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2020-02-11

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Just a pity they did not inspect this channel beforehand.

As with most things here to little to late , these should be the norm not the exception only after a big accident and probably wont slow them down anyway .

 

Any person who operates a boat whether commercial or private should go through extensive training to get a license and for commercial a captains ticket .

Edited February 11, 20206 yr by keith101

“At this stage, I have ordered Phuket Marine officers to set up training for boat captains, as we found that some of them may not know how to drive properly in different areas and not know the proper safety procedures when an accident happens,” Chief Witthaya said.

 

So how on earth do they get to become "captains" then. In most countries it's a position that needs to be earned with many, many hours of work-related training.

 

And here's yet another example of Thailand being the hub of closing the door after the horse has bolted, though in this instance such proclamations have been regularly uttered after numerous incidents (I refuse to use the word accidents) yet still nothing improves and it won't be long until the same happens again.

 

For what reason?

Clearly if you can ride a bicycle you can drive a speedboat or a cement truck...

Does anyone actually know what is required to captain one of these vessels? Are there levels, such as with trucks ? i.e over a certain length requires a different license ? 

8 minutes ago, eezergood said:

Does anyone actually know what is required to captain one of these vessels? Are there levels, such as with trucks ? i.e over a certain length requires a different license ? 

Yes, depending on tonnage there are different categories.

3 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Yes, depending on tonnage there are different categories.

I assumed as much - this madness has to stop! there is ZERO deterrent for this clowns, some pitiful fine & a fruit basked to apologise!

 

 

Edited February 11, 20206 yr by eezergood

35 minutes ago, eezergood said:

Does anyone actually know what is required to captain one of these vessels? Are there levels, such as with trucks ? i.e over a certain length requires a different license ? 

 

And some sort of licence to carry paying passengers. This would require a higher level of certification/training. 

Just now, LivinginKata said:

 

And some sort of licence to carry paying passengers. This would require a higher level of certification/training. 

so where these people adequately licensed? if not what is the penalty?

You never hear the word enforcement.  Nothing will be done, and more innocent people will die due to neglect and laziness-I would bet everything I have on it

Just now, Redline said:

You never hear the word enforcement.  Nothing will be done, and more innocent people will die due to neglect and laziness-I would bet everything I have on it

Im sure also, but there has to be a limit to this nonsense.......

6 minutes ago, eezergood said:

so where these people adequately licensed? if not what is the penalty?

 

Relatively small fine, plus bigger fine to employer.

4 minutes ago, eezergood said:

Im sure also, but there has to be a limit to this nonsense.......

You would think so ????

After many fatal accidents, someone wakes up only because it has become a fashion to be present in the news, do your job properly without talking too much about it, all over the world the maritime law is valid only in Thailand nobody respects it!
I did a motor boat license 30 years ago, it is valid only for private use and it took me a few months to do it.
What I have seen here is that many of the so-called "Captains" cannot even distinguish the right from the left.

1 minute ago, 30la said:

After many fatal accidents, someone wakes up only because it has become a fashion to be present in the news, do your job properly without talking too much about it, all over the world the maritime law is valid only in Thailand nobody respects it!
I did a motor boat license 30 years ago, it is valid only for private use and it took me a few months to do it.
What I have seen here is that many of the so-called "Captains" cannot even distinguish the right from the left.

You mean Port from Starboard. Sorry, just being pedantic, but wholly agree with your post. It seems the only qualification here is to be incompetent.

Two boat captains, at least one of whom is guilty of multiple counts of manslaughter, have been prevented from piloting a boat for 24 months. Some deterrent. And prison time? Forfeiture of the boat? What else? 

 

Man up please. Take some responsibility and hold these cretons responsible. I cannot tell you how many times I have been on a speedboat here, where the captain was driving very recklessly. Many are highly under qualified. 

 

Just another shovel full of dirt, into the nearly buried tourism industry here. 

Its 2020 and they only just ask for Captain Training - unbelievable !

2 hours ago, keith101 said:

Any person who operates a boat whether commercial or private should go through extensive training to get a license and for commercial a captains ticket .

A little bit off topic, though, not that much.
My stepson went to get his driving licenses for trucks and coaches in Nong Han, Udon Thani province.
He has, after three days of extensive courses and I suppose some videos, obtained the precious sesame.
he can now drive a 55-ton or a line or tourism coach;
3 days of lessons which started around 9am in the morning and ended around 3.30pm. Hard days!
am not sure that the smartphone was prohibited during the lessons ..
In France before having the right to drive a maxi code or a touring coach you have to go to a special driving school for many weeks then pass several exams, a serious medical visit and the permit is only probative; it will be final or not after two years of effective driving and every 5 years rebelote, a medical visit which lasts the day.

Looked at the photo of the group. I couldn't recognize them because of the face masks!

Exactly how is the ministry going to enforce this ban? They lack honest people on the ground to enforce anything. I have never heard of a country as bad as Thailand for these boating accidents. Ferries overloaded, no life jackets, no training...what could possibly go wrong?

2 hours ago, madmitch said:

So how on earth do they get to become "captains" then. In most countries it's a position that needs to be earned with many, many hours of work-related training.

Why do they hand out driving licenses to people? Why should boat drivers (or captains as you call them) be treated differently?

Who is liable here? any criminal charges?

Edited February 11, 20206 yr by ChipButty

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Marine Department chief bans deadly tour speedboat drivers, calls for captain training

So basically admitting that after the "Chinese boat" incident, nothing has really happened to change things!

The right decission, maybe a little bit late, but right. You can start with;

1. Learn them to read.

2. Learn them to understand what they are reading.

3. Learn them that what they read also apply to them.

4. Learn them the rules of being a captain and following the rules of good seamanship.

 

It will take you at least 10 years without any boat traffic, but not take that to hard. After all you are at the momet and, in this case 13 centurys behind the rest of the world, so that is a short time.

 

Marine Department Chief is obviously not earning his corruption pay. Ban him too.