Marine Department units inspect jet skis along Pattaya Beach

PATTAYA:--The Pattaya Marine Department and a marine police unit from Chachoengsao launched a beachfront inspection from Soi 2 to Walking Street in Pattaya Aug. 23, checking permits, boat-driving licenses and jet ski condition.

A number of drivers were found with torn licenses and fined. Many jet skis also were found damaged and owners were warned and ordered to repair them. The vendors were told to report to the marine authorities when repairs were complete before they would be allowed to rent them again to customers.

Damaged jet skis have been the crux of a years-long scam run by jet ski vendors, who cover up dents or scratches with water-soluble putty or paint and rent them to unsuspecting tourists. Once tourists return, vendors claim the pre-existing damage was new and demand, sometimes under threat of violence, payments of tens or hundreds of thousands of baht.

Despite much talk and many promises from Pattaya and Chonburi officials, nothing has been done to resolve the extortion scams since September of last year.

At a Sept. 17, 2013 meeting of an “emergency” committee formed to resolve the issue, Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai said Thaisri Insurance plc has been signed to provide insurance cover for the 452 jet skis operating in Pattaya, Jomtien Beach and Koh Larn.

- See more at: http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/marine-department-units-inspect-jet-skis-along-pattaya-beach-40702#sthash.Bac9ki4s.dpuf

-- Pattaya Mail 2014-08-29

Thaisri Insurance will insure these guys. Hmmm. Do they know the claims often add up to over 300,000Bt a day?

Will it be the same bogus insurance that Phuket initiated?

In Phuket the scams continued since "out of water" repair time not covered..sorry...."pay 20,000Bt if you want to stay healthy. We will just hold your wife here while you go to the ATM."

And I will bet that insurance company never paid one single claim. They were in on it.