Koh Samet Pier to close Nov. 1

KOH SAMET:--The Rayong government plans to close the old Koh Samet Pier Nov. 1 due to decay, whilst the new pier is still unsafe to use due to the inability to complete its construction.

Rayong Provincial Administrative Organization President Piya Pitutaecha said Oct. 21 that the old pier on Samet Island has deteriorated to the point where tourists likely will be injured trying to use it to disembark from the large transport boats ferrying them to the island.

Meanwhile, he said, the Department of National Park Wildlife and Plant Conservation terminated work on the new 170 million baht replacement due to permitting issues, leaving the government with no choice but to suspend all boat service to the island’s main pier.

According to sources, after Nov. 1, the larger ferries will be forced to stop 30-40 meters offshore to unload passengers into smaller vessels, which will the take them the rest of the way to the island.

Full story:http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/koh-samet-pier-to-close-nov-1-17724

-- Pattaya Mail 2012-10-26

Sounds like the local powers that be have invested in a fleet of speed boats.....

On a serious note, good to see some proactivity in regards to public safety. Better to be slightly inconvenienced for a while than to have a tragic mass drowning....if only there was more of it (proactive rather than re-active safety measures) in Thailand.