Phuket beach safety hits tide of resistance

[Lite Beer]

Phuket beach safety hits tide of resistance
Phuket Gazette -

PHUKET: A move by the Phuket Marine Office to enforce a 5-knot speed limit for all boats in Phuket is meeting strong resistance from parasail operators at Patong Beach.

Enforcement of the boat speed limit is aimed at boosting water safety in the wake of a Chinese honeymooner being rendered comatose in a collision between a parasail boat and the rented jet-ski he was riding at Patong Beach (story here).

In response, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut met the Chinese tourist’s pregnant wife and promised action will be taken. He also called an emergency meeting about beach boat safety on Tuesday to hear what steps the Marine Office will take to avoid any similar accidents in the future.

“Jet-skis, as extreme sport machines, are too difficult to regulate. Instead, we will focus on introducing a new ‘vessel management system’ for speedboats,” said Phuket Marine Office chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut.

The new system will require all speedboats operating in Phuket waters to be fitted with electronic motion monitors that log boat speed, direction and GPS location.

“The aim is to ensure that speedboats do not breach the 5-knot speed limit when approaching or departing a transit point, and that includes the beach. All boats will be fitted with devices that transmit real-time data to the Marine Office, but we will focus on parasail speedboats first,” Chief Phuripat said.

“Any captains found speeding will be liable to a 2,000-baht fine for each infringement,” he added.

However, Padungsak Pissadu, the parasail operator at Patong Beach whose speedboat was involved in the accident that sent the Chinese tourist to the hospital, argued that it will be very difficult to comply with the law.

“It is impossible to achieve takeoff while observing the 5-knot speed limit. We need to generate a wind speed of 30kmh, which is just over 18 knots, for the first 50 meters in order to achieve takeoff.

“After that we can slow down as much as we want,” Mr Padungsak said.

“Maybe the Marine Office doesn’t understand this. For us to keep under the speed limit, we need 13 knots of onshore wind to get the parasail off the ground,” he added.

Mr Padungsak said he would continue to operate as usual until the matter is discussed further.

“We will certainly raise this issue with the Marine Office,” Mr Padungsak assured.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-beach-safety-hits-tide-of-resistance-22201.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-09-08

[Phronesis]

It is not difficult to manage jet skis. Just ban them.

[lee b]

It is not difficult to manage jet skis. Just ban them.

They should but too much money involved

[steelepulse]

>>“It is impossible to achieve takeoff while observing the 5-knot speed limit. We need to generate a wind speed of 30kmh, which is just over 18 knots, for the first 50 meters in order to achieve takeoff.

How about moving away from the beach to conduct business and not put in jeopardy those that are swimming? A floating platform 500 metres offshore would work.

[NomadJoe]

>>“It is impossible to achieve takeoff while observing the 5-knot speed limit. We need to generate a wind speed of 30kmh, which is just over 18 knots, for the first 50 meters in order to achieve takeoff.

How about moving away from the beach to conduct business and not put in jeopardy those that are swimming? A floating platform 500 metres offshore would work.

Or use the parasails as they were intended, with a boat that has a platform and a winch, like the photo below. They only beach launch in countries that don't care about safety. I have seen many tourists go skipping across the sand and water during take off, and twice I nearly had my head lopped off by a cable while swimming, and lets not forget about the Thai guy that died a few years ago when he fell from one and landed on the beach. These guys that hang on behind the tourist with no harness in order to steer the chute back to the beach must have a death wish.

[Valentine]

>>“It is impossible to achieve takeoff while observing the 5-knot speed limit. We need to generate a wind speed of 30kmh, which is just over 18 knots, for the first 50 meters in order to achieve takeoff.

How about moving away from the beach to conduct business and not put in jeopardy those that are swimming? A floating platform 500 metres offshore would work.

Or use the parasails as they were intended, with a boat that has a platform and a winch, like the photo below. They only beach launch in countries that don't care about safety. I have seen many tourists go skipping across the sand and water during take off, and twice I nearly had my head lopped off by a cable while swimming, and lets not forget about the Thai guy that died a few years ago when he fell from one and landed on the beach. These guys that hang on behind the tourist with no harness in order to steer the chute back to the beach must have a death wish.

Ever since I arrived in Phuket I wondered why they never adopted this method & the only conclusion I can come to is cost even though it must only be a small percentage of the overall boat cost. Besides this too logical, why change as they have always done it the unsafe way & who wants to take on board a foreign idea. The platform & winch would mean the boat can cruise out slowly to open waters & in the event the cable does break then then they should only fall into the water. I remember years ago there was a strong onshore wind (which is quite common), the cable broke & the hapless tourist tragically ended up in the power lines.

[NomadJoe]

^ I just read in another thread that in Pattaya they have done exactly what steelepulse recommends and have a floating platform they launch from.

Some more failed beach launches/landings:

Edited September 8, 2013 by NomadJoe

[NomadJoe]

Edited September 8, 2013 by NomadJoe

[SOTIRIOS]

.....difficult to enforce any law when the only concern is profit....

.....reminds me of a karate school I attended once when they would spar dirty.....kick you in the nuts.....poke you in the eyes....

....and hopefully get rid of you for good.....after you had duly paid your 3 months in advance......

(......they were duly closed down after a few complaints...)

...these scams....robberies.....murders....have been going on for years.....

...difficult to enforce......!@#$%^&*()_+

[atyclb]

>>“It is impossible to achieve takeoff while observing the 5-knot speed limit. We need to generate a wind speed of 30kmh, which is just over 18 knots, for the first 50 meters in order to achieve takeoff.

How about moving away from the beach to conduct business and not put in jeopardy those that are swimming? A floating platform 500 metres offshore would work.

Finally a way to get some function out of the sole aircraft carrier.

[Phronesis]

What percentage of beach goers purchase a para sail flight. 0.001 of a percent?

Why is the safety of so many jeopardised for the benefit of so few?

Same logic applies to Jet Skis...

[Briggsy]

What percentage of beach goers purchase a para sail flight. 0.001 of a percent?

Why is the safety of so many jeopardised for the benefit of so few?

Same logic applies to Jet Skis...

The same reason that I live in the middle of one of the world's largest car production centres but the only taxi I can hail is a stinking, unsafe tuk-tuk.

The political clique that controls a certain district or province needs low-skilled monopolies (public transport is the favourite) to provide a steady income stream for the local godfather and employment for his thugs. Jet-skis and parasailing also tick all the boxes.

[Cbr150r]

However, Padungsak Pissadu, the parasail operator at Patong Beach whose speedboat was involved in the accident that sent the Chinese tourist to the hospital, argued that it will be very difficult to comply with the law.

Comply with a law (possibly), how novel.

[steelepulse]

However, Padungsak Pissadu, the parasail operator at Patong Beach whose speedboat was involved in the accident that sent the Chinese tourist to the hospital, argued that it will be very difficult to comply with the law.

Comply with a law (possibly), how novel.

Pretty amazing that complying with the law is optional for certain factions, not mandatory and punishable by law if laws are not adhered to.

[eezergood]

All making face/noise for the DSI & business as usual once they bugger off back to Bangkok

[atyclb]

However, Padungsak Pissadu, the parasail operator at Patong Beach whose speedboat was involved in the accident that sent the Chinese tourist to the hospital, argued that it will be very difficult to comply with the law.

Comply with a law (possibly), how novel.

Actually not a "novel" more like "fiction"