Hazardous Phuket moorings removed from Chalong Bay

[webfact]

Hazardous Phuket moorings removed from Chalong Bay
Phuket Gazette


Eight of the large mooring blocks were removed. Photo: Saran Mitrarat

PHUKET: -- Eight unmarked concrete moorings near the Chalong Pier fairway that are believed to have sunk two boats within the last year were removed last Friday.

“I think it is best to have the blocks near the fairway removed to prevent further accidents,” said Phuket Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut, maintaining that no blocks exist within the approach channel itself.

Chief Phuripat has consistently denied that there were problems with the mooring placements, redirecting accusations toward the theft of mooring buoys, reckless driving and illegal moorings established by locals.

“The buoys are constantly being stolen – we cannot keep replacing them forever,” Chief Phuripat explained this week.

The first boat to fall victim to the unmarked mooring blocks was the Darunee, better known as the “Booze Cruise”. The ship, returning from a snorkeling trip to Koh Hei (Coral Island) with 15 tourists on board, was about 500 meters from Chalong Pier when it hit and got stuck on a mooring block, explained Chief Phuripat after the accident late February last year (story here).

“All of the tourists jumped into the water without life jackets. Boat operators in the area saw the incident and rescued them,” the chief said.

Mr Phuripat attributed the cause of the crash to reckless driving.

“The concrete mooring was installed to mark a boat anchorage. It has been there for months. Every boat driver in the area knows where the moorings are located and where the rocks are. The boat driver did not drive along the right path,” he said.

About 11 months later, on January 21, the 10-million-baht luxury cruise boat Lady Andaman sank after striking a concrete mooring in the approach channel, explained Australian boat owner “Sando”, who declined to be named in full (story here).

“It was about 4:30pm, coming up to low tide, when we hit the mooring. We were coming back from a trip with Australians, New Zealanders, Americans and Thais – who all took part in a Muay Thai fitness training session,” Sando told the Phuket Gazette.

“The mooring didn’t have any buoys attached to it. I’ve been told that many of the moorings now don’t have any buoys tied to them [to show where the concrete blocks lie beneath the surface].”

No further plans have been made to remove any of the other 192 moorings placed around Chalong Pier, despite concerns voiced by local yachties, notably that some of them were located too close to existing moorings, risking collisions between neighboring vessels (story here).

“The rest of the moorings aren’t causing any problems for boats,” Chief Phuripat said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2014/Hazardous-Phuket-moorings-removed-from-Chalong-Bay-25670.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-02-24

[Costas2008]

Yep, that's the culprit.....hang him.....says the official.....pointing at the criminal.

[LivinginKata]

At least some effort is being made to resolve this issue.

[eezergood]

If they had no marking buouys, how where they found? DIvers?

[JetsetBkk]

The buoys are constantly being stolen we cannot keep replacing them forever, Chief Phuripat explained this week.

Why is this incompetent still in his job? He should've been sacked years ago.

[cloudhopper]

Well I happen to be tied to one at the moment in order to check out and they certainly are better than anchoring in the fetid ooze used to be. Very welcome in Ao Yon and Ao Por too. Too bad about that decaying marina though - the first impression of Thailand for arriving mariners.

[impulse]

Have to wonder if they tie the oft-stolen buoys on with rope or with chain.

[monkey4u]

Why not use brightly painted plastic milk containers as the bouys???

No one will steal them.

[JetsetBkk]

Have to wonder if they tie the oft-stolen buoys on with rope or with chain.

I was told rope - and the rope gets chafed away by the rough edge of the concrete "moorings" until it breaks and the buoys float away. No thievery involved, just incompetence. TIT.

[Halion]

Just incredibly dumb. If the markers were being stolen simply replace them with steel buoys attached by chain or steel hawsers .

[TPI]

Who will pay? Obviously any budget that was supplied has long been fritted away?

[Johnnie99]

"Mr Phuripat attributed the cause of the crash to reckless driving."

[Gnasher328]

Hang on. If it's a mooring anchor and a boat can hit it, what about any boat that's moored to it anyway as wind and tide will push a boat all over the mooring radius?

[stevenl]

Hang on. If it's a mooring anchor and a boat can hit it, what about any boat that's moored to it anyway as wind and tide will push a boat all over the mooring radius?

Not if it is moored properly.

[Gnasher328]

Hang on. If it's a mooring anchor and a boat can hit it, what about any boat that's moored to it anyway as wind and tide will push a boat all over the mooring radius?

Not if it is moored properly.

So what do you call 'moored properly'? Any boat will swing, that's why it's called a 'swinging mooring' , and has to be allowed for in crowded anchorages.

[Rorri]

JetsetBkk, on 24 Feb 2014 - 13:36, said:JetsetBkk, on 24 Feb 2014 - 13:36, said:

QuoteQuote

The buoys are constantly being stolen we cannot keep replacing them forever, Chief Phuripat explained this week.

Why is this incompetent still in his job? He should've been sacked years ago.

Only one answer, he has powerful friends, in most other countries, this incompetent person would NOT be able to hold down a street sweepers job, he never accepts responsibility always saying it's either not in his district or someone else's fault even when it clearly is his. He's as useless as tits on a bull.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Rorri

[IrishIvan]

"Mr Phuripat attributed the cause of the crash to reckless driving."

yes because the mooring buoys weren't in the approach channel. It's hard to understand for some, but if you choose not to navigate your boat properly you will sink it