PHOTO: KomChadLuek

 

By Peter Roche

Police in Phuket have charged a boat driver with injuring 37 people after the speedboat he was driving crashed into a marker in Chalong Bay. Most of those injured in the May 17 incident were Russian nationals.

 

Khaosod English reports that police spoke with 19 witnesses, all of whom say the boat driver was acting recklessly. Sermphan Sirikong, chief of Phuket Provincial Police, says the man has been charged under Sections 300 and 390 for negligence and causing injury to others. The offence carries a punishment of up to 3 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 60,000 baht.

 

A total of 37 people needed hospital treatment following the collision, which occurred as the speedboat was transporting tourists back from a trip to the Phi Phi islands. While most of the injured are Russians, other nationalities on the boat included 4 Thais, 9 from Kazakhstan, 1 person from Hong Kong, 1 from China, and 1 Ukrainian. Of the injured, 16 remain in hospital.

 

Full story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-news/phuket-police-charge-reckless-speedboat-driver-with-injuring-37-people/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-05-22

 

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So is the boat operators paying the hospital bill for all the injured?

Because surely they were insured?

Boat operator tested positive for Methamphetamine. This country runs on meth.

 

On May 22, Pol. Lt. Col. Khun Somrak, the investigating inspector of Chalong Police Station in Phuket Province, disclosed that the physical examination findings of Mr. Satit Matchai, the boat driver, 29, identified narcotics such as methamphetamine not alcohol. As a result, the police document it as evidence before sending the case file to the prosecutor for presentation in court.

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2023/05/22/speedboat-driver-charged-with-injuring-37-tourists-in-phuket/

47 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

So is the boat operators paying the hospital bill for all the injured?

Because surely they were insured?

I bet it's capped... Phipat might have to dig deep to iron out any wrinkles.

Roll-out the chicken delight baskets.

30 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Boat operator tested positive for Methamphetamine. This country runs on meth.

If Thailand stopped every bus driver, mini-van driver, lorry driver, taxi driver on Thailands roads,... I wonder what percentage of those are under the influence of meth or alcohol (or both) ??... 

... any takers on a ‘guess’ ???... I’ll start with an estimation of 30%.

 

The reality here is that those who are in positions of the charge of lives of others are treated no differently from private citizen when issues such laws are broken, when really the penalties should be orders of magnitude greater. 

 

First things first, did this ‘operator’ even have a boat licence? not that licensing in Thailand makes any difference really ?...  And of course, as already asked, full insurance... 

 

 

We do submarine tours here also just ask the Chinese sure they will remember ????

29 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

First things first, did this ‘operator’ even have a boat licence?

Well given the choice of having my boat driver clear-headed and not taking Methamphetamine or having a "license", I'll go with no meth, thank you.

 

But that's just me.

 

Only thing worse? Weed, whites and wine.

 

 

All this is just shutting the stable =door after the horse has bolted and saving face for the police and authorities.

Charging the speedboat driver achieves very little - the problem is a lackdaisical health and safety culture that surrounds so many tourist attractions - they need to get to the root of this and make sure others don't have the same attitude.