Pattaya ferry captain confesses to drug use

[little mary sunshine]

Oh, sure, now the Captain is on drugs. How about the fire on one of these boats 6

weeks ago ??? So now all investigations stop as to how safe these boats are? They

should all be sent to dry dock and checked for safety. Crews must be trained in safe

evacuations of boat. Post # of people allowed aboard, check on on seaworthyness of

all these boats, Let's protect all those on board, 175 people could have died. Pull

the license on the Owners of these boats and make them prove they, and the crews

are SAFE>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oldsailor35]

What about the owner of the boat?????

Not his fault ............he was'nt there , ask him !

[kawaiimomo]

Did the police send the captain for drug testing to validate the claim?

Depending on the drug, usage pattern and test method this wouldn't be reliable. For example, amphetamine can't be detected by some urine tests after 1-2days, and by most in 4 days. Even heroin won't be detected after 2-4 days by urine.

[little mary sunshine]

OK, You think we "Don't get it" Blame everything on the Captain" max fine 1000B

BUSINESS and DANGER goes on as USUAL...Screw the Tourists and Safety !!!!!

[masuk]

A boat doesn't sink because it's bilge pumps don't work, it sinks because it is leaking, and they were running the bilge pumps as a band aid fix. when the bilge pumps quit, there was no hiding the problem.

To recap, the boat had a cracked bow, was overloaded, the bilge pumps didn't work, and the captain was high.

...and not quite enough life jackets..

[crazykopite]

A 10,000 baht fine and a slap on the wrist !!!!! AMAZING THAILAND !! R.I.P to those who perished

[Benmart]

The passengers panicked and moved up to the top deck of the vessel, which then over-balanced, capsized and swiftly sank.

One more time its all the fault of the tourists .... lack of safety regulation and control in a country where the life of others means not much .

I read it a bit differently. From what I gathered, the article explained the panic and ensuing rush of passengers to the second deck because of flooding. Had the article not mentioned that vital bit of information, this reader would have wondered what caused the vessel to capsize so rapidly. I didn't read where it directly assigned blame to the tourists.

[Benmart]

A 10,000 baht fine and a slap on the wrist !!!!! AMAZING THAILAND !! R.I.P to those who perished

Was he fined and slapped on the wrist? Sorry, I missed the trial and sentencing altogether.

My crystal ball is in the shop, can I borrow someone's?

[mrfill]

Well, at least by confessing to taking 'some drugs' (unspecified) it will make the highly informed point and say it was all his fault because he was on drugs (unspecified) and thus deflect attention away from any faults the boat or the operating company may have meaning no loss of face..

Promotion for him and a nice bonus when he gets released

[Benmart]

OK, You think we "Don't get it" Blame everything on the Captain" max fine 1000B

BUSINESS and DANGER goes on as USUAL...Screw the Tourists and Safety !!!!!

Please play another side of the record. That side is well worn and unintelligible. Thanks.

[Nemesis7]

in deed its truly sad.

so many accidents taking place recent days in LOS.....Bus, Mini Van, Train, Plane, Motorcycle, Ferry...........Wondering whats next??

[stoffel45]

Thailand, Asia and Ferries.

Doesn't work - is grossly unsafe. Is dangerous to be a passenger - but only 99% of the time.

Try the Big Cat Ferry from Samui to Chumpon. Lifejackets (for about a quarter of the passengers) are buried under a huge mound of luggage and of course, there are the usual extra 300 or 400 passengers over the legally allowed limit.

I must say, it takes a little longer and is a bit more expensive but a hell of a lot safer to take one of the poorly maintained speedboats to the islands.

[stevehaigh]

Did the police send the captain for drug testing to validate the claim?

it all sounds fishy to me (no pun intended). the time to do a drug test is as soon as they get him to shore, not wait for him to confess to it a couple of days later

there is something else going on here, some coercion or under the table money

[Baerboxer]

A boat doesn't sink because it's bilge pumps don't work, it sinks because it is leaking, and they were running the bilge pumps as a band aid fix. when the bilge pumps quit, there was no hiding the problem.

To recap, the boat had a cracked bow, was overloaded, the bilge pumps didn't work, and the captain was high.

These types of boat will leek a little that's why they have bilge pumps, but if you ground the boat on rocks they will take on more water than the pumps can cope with.

My question is was it common for this captain boat driver to be under the influence of drugs? were his employers, crew and others in authority aware?

I think it is better to use the description of "Boat Driver" as Thailand chooses not to recognize intentional boat handling certifications that are far superior to any training these boat drivers have to achieve to take charge of these boats.

@Basil: I agree with you: these guys who are in charge of boats, here in Thailand, do NOT deserve the title of "Captain", since they have absolutely NO formal training whatsoever. Like most Street-Cops; Traffic-Cops et al, I would love to be present when ANY of these morons would have to sit their (even as low as) an Entry Exam in a country like The Netherlands . . . . . . .

I do a bit of sailing, here in Thailand and I obtained my "Captain's License" - but let me assure you that the "Sailing & Navigation" certificate issued by the Dutch Boy Scouts (actually "Sea-Scouts") is equal to that of a Thai' 4-stripe Boeing-747 Captain in comparison.

The Thai Government must address this issue urgently ! ! !

Why would a Boeing 747 captain want to get a marine captain's licence ?

Are you really claiming that the Dutch Sea-Scouts issue a certificate for Sailing & Navigation that is in some way comparable to the training a captain of a commercial air liner must undertake and pass?

A little far fetched - or have you been on the dope too ?

[BB1950]

In the article published in the paper there was a picture of a boat. It looked fairly modern.

When I took the ferry boat from the main pier in Pattaya to the island we got on an old, large, slow boat that looked like it was from WWII. It was made of wood. I remember it taking FOREVER to get to the island. On the way back we got on another similar boat. It's engine failed just 10 minutes from leaving the island, so we were still quite close to the island. Another boat, equally as old, threw us a line and towed us to Pattaya. This return trip took even longer.

Was the boat that sunk one of these, I wonder? Can anyone point to a picture of the boat that sank?

There's an underwater photo in this link. You can also see a hole in the bow. The boat was made of wood. It doesn't look like a 30 baht ferry boat. It looks like the more expensive 150 baht ferry boat.

The article mentions:

Police decided to conduct a urine test on the Captain who was found to have recently consumed methamphetamine, despite earlier claims he had not taken drugs.

Edited November 5, 2013 by BB1950

[Basil B]

1500 meters to me does not sound right, from some reports the boat picked passengers off Nual (Nuan) Beach, the only rocks to my knowledge that he could of hit were very close to shore, the breakwater or the "Block House" is an abandoned underwater restaurant project in the bay, possible the boat drifted a long way before sinking.

If the boat had picked up elsewhere and was passing then he probably cut the corner, normally when boats come round the headland the are at least 200 or more meters away, to hit the rocks he must have been less than 50 meter off the headland, if it had been earlier in the day he could have collided with dive boats moored just of the breakwater.

Snip-it from Admiralty showing depth in meters

Google view of Nuan Beach and bay

Edited November 5, 2013 by Basil B

[bangkokheat]

now if i overfill the boat over its capacity i will have extra cash to buy more drugs with,,,, cant stand drugos

[mikebell]

"The captain of a ferry that capsized about 1,500 metres offshore from Pattaya on Sunday evening has turned himself in, telling police he was high on drugs while on his duty".

Now there's a surprise !

A 500 baht fine will teach him.

[Traveling Sailor]

"The captain of a ferry that capsized about 1,500 metres offshore from Pattaya on Sunday evening has turned himself in, telling police he was high on drugs while on his duty".

Now there's a surprise !

What an idiot this "boat captain" is. This turd should have something operated upon so he can never drive anything more than a bicycle for the rest of his life. The boat company should be barred from carrying passengers in anything larger than a row boat until they can prove that they are capable of quality maintenance, competent and intelligent hiring, are well versed in standard marine safety rules, etc.

[OZEMADE]

the captain confessed to officers that he took some drugs before going to work, and that he and the crew lost control of the vessel as a result

Now I understand why my wife was so scared when we took a same boat few years ago All kind of transportation in Thailand are really not safe

Well I suppose you could say that 50% of road, rail, sea and air transport is not up to scratch and the other 50% of the fools are unlicensed.

But they are going to fix it all up?

[Rimmer]

Off topic posts removed

[Emdog]

I would guess he was high when he confessed to being high. Otherwise, he could claim ghosts, etc and problem would have gone away. Is there a charge of "negligent homicide" in the kingdom, and would any justice type DA pursue that? I would guess a fair case for that could be made, and not just against the "captain" but the company and those who are supposed to oversee maritime safety.

[pacovl46]

The passengers panicked and moved up to the top deck of the vessel, which then over-balanced, capsized and swiftly sank.

One more time its all the fault of the tourists .... lack of safety regulation and control in a country where the life of others means not much .

I guess you skipped reading the part in which the captain admitted that he ran the ship aground and then it started flooding because of that. Nonetheless, the boat only capsized because they all went to the top deck and it tipped over. I'm pretty sure the boat would have sunk anyway, but probably a lot slower if it hadn't capsized.

[finnomick]

So much for ' high and dry '.....

[matzen]

other than safety in these boats is null, I think tourists should look good where they get, I live in Thailand but do not enjoy all the benefits as someone who lives in the West, I try to do things that are unsafe or not arriesgen my physical. people to come to a country like this, they think that their life here is like a cat. inpensables see things tourists do in your country. I only wish that all the people that security cinciencie your physical ingridad is paramount. do nothing to make your life stops.

Sent from my Orange Zali using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[BobbyLambo]

"The captain of a ferry that capsized about 1,500 metres offshore from Pattaya on Sunday evening has turned himself in, telling police he was high on drugs while on his duty".

Now there's a surprise !

..."Now there's a surprise !"

He must have gotten his "tea money" in order.

[Tchooptip]

Did the police send the captain for drug testing to validate the claim?

it all sounds fishy to me (no pun intended). the time to do a drug test is as soon as they get him to shore, not wait for him to confess to it a couple of days later

there is something else going on here, some coercion or under the table money

the time to do a drug test is as soon as they get him to shore,

He was on the run!

[transam]

the captain confessed to officers that he took some drugs before going to work, and that he and the crew lost control of the vessel as a result

Now I understand why my wife was so scared when we took a same boat few years ago All kind of transportation in Thailand are really not safe

Well I suppose you could say that 50% of road, rail, sea and air transport is not up to scratch and the other 50% of the fools are unlicensed.

But they are going to fix it all up?

Yep............Not yet though............ ..................

[Sailingbum1]

No one is blaming the tourists.

The guy has confessed and had his license revoked.

However, because he has confessed I'm sure he will get no more than a slap on the wrist and maybe a 500 baht fine.

Will be driving another boat within the year.

Sad sad sad...

The truth will set you free. Seems to be a Thai thought when ones self guilt is involved. My ex was always as truthful as she felt necesary when she was suspected and caught cheating (for money of course) though it never changed her actions in the future.

Bad Capt / owners..90% of all marine accidents are do to induced mental impairment when the unexpected occurs. Most are recreational and go unreported. I have been on many a frieghter loaded with arms where the Captain/ Chief Engineer was so drunk they couldn't walk stesdy or talk coherently while on duty. Only one was ever relieved of command

My condolances to the persons grieving

[wwex]

its a difficult one because the main source of police money is,,,, so its not in their interests to prevent people using it, even tho its the cause of most of the problems in Pattaya