Two Girls Missing As Chao Phraya River Ferry Sinks

[webfact]

Girls missing as river ferry sinks

The Nation

PATHUM THANI: -- Two schoolchildren were missing and one was injured when their boat sank on the Chao Phraya River in Pathum Thani's Sam Khok district yesterday afternoon.

Five students from Sam Khok School - one boy and four girls - were on a motorboat crossing the river to the Wat Samakkheeyaram Pier when torrents poured in, causing the boat to sink. The students and ferryman had to swim.

While the boy and one other girl were rescued by passers-by, another girl, Duangkamol Nilchoke, 14, was unconscious and rushed to Pathum Thani Hospital. Two other girls - Maleewan Khotsanthia, 14, and a student identified only as Waraporn - were missing.

The ferryman, Amnat Wikakanont, 37, fled the scene. The children were heading for Sam Khok Market.

-- The Nation 2012-03-07

[supaprik]

even Ferry men flee the scene, I wonder why he needed to do that....

[binky]

very sad, i hope they were saved

[noitom]

It's a shame. Perhaps the ferryman who fled might have saved those missing children. Thailand must eventually cave in and recognize the problem here with "the people in charge" fleeing the scene of accidents, crimes, and whatever. They must use of these folks as a public spectacle to illustrate that lives might be saved and make the punishment for "fleeing" a very severe crime and long jail time.

[Om85]

Poor girls.

[Reasonableman]

Deep sypathy for their families, schoolmates, friends, and relatives. A tragedy.

[thequietman]

even Ferry men flee the scene, I wonder why he needed to do that....

its like it was part of his DNA. he just couldnt help it I suppose. conscience and accountaility may be the missing strain. condolenses to the families of the missing. such a waste of life. no point in asking if the ferry had any life preservers onboard. sad.

[Orac]

According to a tweet from Richard Barrow yesterday quoting CH3 the 'ferry' only had seats for 3 people but was carrying 5 students plus the boatman.

[Payboy]

According to a tweet from Richard Barrow yesterday quoting CH3 the 'ferry' only had seats for 3 people but was carrying 5 students plus the boatman.

Lucky it was half empty then.

RIP

Edited March 7, 2012 by Payboy

[bendejo]

So much for a captain going down with the ship.

This is the kind of stuff that really gets me.

Do things like guilt and remorse exist here?

I wonder if Lord Jim has been translated into Thai.

[haveaniceday]

So Sad.

Will be nice when these kids who were effectively murdered find that caption and hang him dry.

[bendix]

even Ferry men flee the scene, I wonder why he needed to do that....

its like it was part of his DNA. he just couldnt help it I suppose. conscience and accountaility may be the missing strain. condolenses to the families of the missing. such a waste of life. no point in asking if the ferry had any life preservers onboard. sad.

The same thing happens all over the world. The Italian captain of that massive cruiseliner than went down in January in the mediterranean fled the scene also.

[MEL1]

I think this is a prime example, and yet again another incentive for the government, that indicates there is a need for a legislative requirement to make it law that Thai children learn to swim. These 'laws' are in effect in most countries, although most are in the Western world. It is certainly law in all European countries, and USA, that levels of proficiency are met in Primary/Elementary level. Even in Singapore it is law.

Tragedies happen so often in Thailand as a result of children's inability to swim. I would also presume to assert that the boatman couldn't swim also, and hence his run when he got to land.

If these girls did drown then they have all my sympathies, and may they RIP. And yet, somebody must hold responsibility for their daily crossing of a river which they lived close to, but never learned to swim in. It is so often a case that children play in the waters and canals that surround them, but rarely do they learn to swim. Parents, who usually can't swim, are not going to encourage swimming lessons. It has to be the responsibility of government enforced rules to schools, as it is elsewhere, to ensure incidents like this are minimalised for the sake of children who don't know how or what to do next to, or in, water.

I hope examples like this tragic event, and others, eventually wake somebody up in a MPs position, if possible, in order to save further lives.

Certainly boat taxis need to have a man at the helm who can swim, and may even have training in life-saving. However, I see this not being a primary matter of concern to the Elementary level leaders in Parliament here.

-mel.

[MEL1]

even Ferry men flee the scene, I wonder why he needed to do that....

its like it was part of his DNA. he just couldnt help it I suppose. conscience and accountaility may be the missing strain. condolenses to the families of the missing. such a waste of life. no point in asking if the ferry had any life preservers onboard. sad.

The same thing happens all over the world. The Italian captain of that massive cruiseliner than went down in January in the mediterranean fled the scene also.

I don't think he quite 'fled the scene', unless he was Jesus.

But sure, he swam away!

-mel.

[whybother]

I think this is a prime example, and yet again another incentive for the government, that indicates there is a need for a legislative requirement to make it law that Thai children learn to swim. These 'laws' are in effect in most countries, although most are in the Western world. It is certainly law in all European countries, and USA, that levels of proficiency are met in Primary/Elementary level. Even in Singapore it is law.

Tragedies happen so often in Thailand as a result of children's inability to swim. I would also presume to assert that the boatman couldn't swim also, and hence his run when he got to land.

If these girls did drown then they have all my sympathies, and may they RIP. And yet, somebody must hold responsibility for their daily crossing of a river which they lived close to, but never learned to swim in. It is so often a case that children play in the waters and canals that surround them, but rarely do they learn to swim. Parents, who usually can't swim, are not going to encourage swimming lessons. It has to be the responsibility of government enforced rules to schools, as it is elsewhere, to ensure incidents like this are minimalised for the sake of children who don't know how or what to do next to, or in, water.

I hope examples like this tragic event, and others, eventually wake somebody up in a MPs position, if possible, in order to save further lives.

Certainly boat taxis need to have a man at the helm who can swim, and may even have training in life-saving. However, I see this not being a primary matter of concern to the Elementary level leaders in Parliament here.

-mel.

There are no Australian "laws" regarding learning to swim, and I haven't heard of anything like that in Europe. When I lived in the UK, there most of my friends didn't know how to swim. I'm not sure what level of "proficiency" is required.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I don't know the geography of the river in that particular locale... But I'm wondering.... What exactly is this supposed to mean???

were on a motorboat crossing the river to the Wat Samakkheeyaram Pier when torrents poured in, causing the boat to sink.

[mstribling]

No where in the world is it a law that you must be able to swim. Maybe Atlantis...

Cite it or it isn't true.

RIP to the girls.

Maybe they could pass a law making accidents illegal.

[LuckyLew]

So sad for the young people missing and their families.

Learning to swim should be a parents responsibility, not the governments

So much water in and around Thailand, so many Thais do not know how to swim.

I have not meet one Thai in three plus years here who is a proficient swimmer.

[smedly]

I think this is a prime example, and yet again another incentive for the government, that indicates there is a need for a legislative requirement to make it law that Thai children learn to swim. These 'laws' are in effect in most countries, although most are in the Western world. It is certainly law in all European countries, and USA, that levels of proficiency are met in Primary/Elementary level. Even in Singapore it is law.

Tragedies happen so often in Thailand as a result of children's inability to swim. I would also presume to assert that the boatman couldn't swim also, and hence his run when he got to land.

If these girls did drown then they have all my sympathies, and may they RIP. And yet, somebody must hold responsibility for their daily crossing of a river which they lived close to, but never learned to swim in. It is so often a case that children play in the waters and canals that surround them, but rarely do they learn to swim. Parents, who usually can't swim, are not going to encourage swimming lessons. It has to be the responsibility of government enforced rules to schools, as it is elsewhere, to ensure incidents like this are minimalised for the sake of children who don't know how or what to do next to, or in, water.

I hope examples like this tragic event, and others, eventually wake somebody up in a MPs position, if possible, in order to save further lives.

Certainly boat taxis need to have a man at the helm who can swim, and may even have training in life-saving. However, I see this not being a primary matter of concern to the Elementary level leaders in Parliament here.

-mel.

There are no Australian "laws" regarding learning to swim, and I haven't heard of anything like that in Europe. When I lived in the UK, there most of my friends didn't know how to swim. I'm not sure what level of "proficiency" is required.

yeh push the responsibility onto the inocent, simple fact here is there was nothing on the boat to aid floatation in the event of an accident, life jackets ? probably asking too much in Thailand but even a couple of polystyrene floats would have helped save these youngsters lives

very sad and tragic

Edited March 7, 2012 by smedly

[Ricardo]

I don't know the geography of the river in that particular locale... But I'm wondering.... What exactly is this supposed to mean???

were on a motorboat crossing the river to the Wat Samakkheeyaram Pier when torrents poured in, causing the boat to sink.

Perhaps a sudden influx of water, into the boat itself ?

[Reasonableman]

One could speculate inconclusively that the boat was overloaded, had little freeboard, and some water turbulence, and/or change in weight distribution of the load, caused it to broach, whereupon it filled with water and sank. Another possibility is that another water vessel passed nearby, and the bow wave or wake swamped the heavily laden ferryboat. Many other possibilities, but only speculation given the paucity of facts.

[mstribling]

Mel

Please keep in mind. Many free societies don't mandate swimming lessons for its citizens.

Certainly not Brazil.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies removed. This topic in not about UK law regarding learning to swim.

[w11guy]

I think this is a prime example, and yet again another incentive for the government, that indicates there is a need for a legislative requirement to make it law that Thai children learn to swim. These 'laws' are in effect in most countries, although most are in the Western world. It is certainly law in all European countries, and USA, that levels of proficiency are met in Primary/Elementary level. Even in Singapore it is law.

Tragedies happen so often in Thailand as a result of children's inability to swim. I would also presume to assert that the boatman couldn't swim also, and hence his run when he got to land.

If these girls did drown then they have all my sympathies, and may they RIP. And yet, somebody must hold responsibility for their daily crossing of a river which they lived close to, but never learned to swim in. It is so often a case that children play in the waters and canals that surround them, but rarely do they learn to swim. Parents, who usually can't swim, are not going to encourage swimming lessons. It has to be the responsibility of government enforced rules to schools, as it is elsewhere, to ensure incidents like this are minimalised for the sake of children who don't know how or what to do next to, or in, water.

I hope examples like this tragic event, and others, eventually wake somebody up in a MPs position, if possible, in order to save further lives.

Certainly boat taxis need to have a man at the helm who can swim, and may even have training in life-saving. However, I see this not being a primary matter of concern to the Elementary level leaders in Parliament here.

-mel.

Not a requirement in the UK. I don't think it's something that you should legislate for. People shouldn't be forced to swim if they don't want to. What else would you want to force people to learn. Give them the option yes, but don't force anyone.

[ginjag]

Tragic, (accident)  we don't know..incident more like until the inv, takes place.

Swimming if the government or parents decided to go for the training-or learning.   where would the kids learn ????   they don't have schools with pools, and how many towns have public pools ???   near none.  all this money feeding officials pockets in every town. JOKE. opportunity would be a nice thing.  Suppose thats why Thai swimmers rarely receive medals.   Fled the scene-sick jerk.

[miksguevara]

yeah i once read an explanation of why so many thai's flee the scene of accidents...it didn't really make sense ,perhaps any english literate thai members would care to explain...

[creck]

I learnt to swim through my involvement in Scouting. Here all children wear the uniform once a week but seem to have no further activities. The movement is also fading away in the UK. What I see here is a parody of what was intended. It was a great movement once.

[stevenl]

yeah i once read an explanation of why so many thai's flee the scene of accidents...it didn't really make sense ,perhaps any english literate thai members would care to explain...

In general for their own safety.

Another reason can be to let the alcohol or other substances level in their blood get reduced.

[jimbeam1]

I think this is a prime example, and yet again another incentive for the government, that indicates there is a need for a legislative requirement to make it law that Thai children learn to swim. These 'laws' are in effect in most countries, although most are in the Western world. It is certainly law in all European countries, and USA, that levels of proficiency are met in Primary/Elementary level. Even in Singapore it is law.

Tragedies happen so often in Thailand as a result of children's inability to swim. I would also presume to assert that the boatman couldn't swim also, and hence his run when he got to land.

If these girls did drown then they have all my sympathies, and may they RIP. And yet, somebody must hold responsibility for their daily crossing of a river which they lived close to, but never learned to swim in. It is so often a case that children play in the waters and canals that surround them, but rarely do they learn to swim. Parents, who usually can't swim, are not going to encourage swimming lessons. It has to be the responsibility of government enforced rules to schools, as it is elsewhere, to ensure incidents like this are minimalised for the sake of children who don't know how or what to do next to, or in, water.

I hope examples like this tragic event, and others, eventually wake somebody up in a MPs position, if possible, in order to save further lives.

Certainly boat taxis need to have a man at the helm who can swim, and may even have training in life-saving. However, I see this not being a primary matter of concern to the Elementary level leaders in Parliament here.

-mel.

Not a requirement in the UK. I don't think it's something that you should legislate for. People shouldn't be forced to swim if they don't want to. What else would you want to force people to learn. Give them the option yes, but don't force anyone.

Some people have a genuine fear of water.

jb1