“We have already set zones for jet-skis at the beaches. There are 286 jet-skis in total operating on the island, most of which [about 90 per cent] belonging to local villagers, not big companies,” he added.

And I'm a secretive multi-billionaire. Life the beach vendors, if these were just villagers they would have been removed. Who does this guy think he is kidding.

Seriously you would think this guy runs a dairy farm with the amount of cow crap that he talks.

Forget about dangerous driving, the jetski mafia operate in Pattaya and Phuket and all the drama and potential death to other swimmers they can cause.
Please just ban them completely.

Jet ski's are a curse anywhere. Wish they had never been invented.

Thais have no regard for regulations and little for the law so just ban the wretched things and do everyone a favour.

My question, why, after everything else has been banned from Phuket beaches, are jet skis allowed to continue?

My question, why, after everything else has been banned from Phuket beaches, are jet skis allowed to continue?

Brown envelopes.And influential people.

there is a speed limit? who would have known, i have never seen any signs, i wonder if the speedos work on the jet skis

Part of my job before I retired was policing jet skis in my local area and very similar to Patong. We created an area set aside strictly for jet skies that was large enough to cater for the demand. We had regular patrols of the area to enforce the guidelines and it worked well. Something like this could work here but at the very least, these machines with unlicensed riders must stay well away from other water users including swimmers. This segregation once established creates a safer environment for all. Riders can be doubled out to the area by staff from the beach and the staff either remain out on a monitoring pontoon or other JetSki and polices its hirers. Those using the machines recklessly, dangerously or irresponsibly has their hire terminated. My second suggestion involves banning there use on every second beach and or using alternative days of operating. I have more ideas but maybe later.

It's about dam time! They need to do the same in Pattaya. The operators are all scumbags anyway. If you you came to Thailand to jet ski then you should have went somewhere else.

i tought they were already illegal

"chief threatens jet-ski ban"

so i tought the chief was threatening the BAN in place to be lifted

is it me, or is crappy news increasing ?

After all that has been happening around jet-skis,

And this is still at the level of no more than a threat....

please ban those machines....forever....its time to clean up the beaches and all the riffraff that abuse its beauty...

Ban the noisy things ... that'll stop the scam and kill the noise pollution.

This is because they think (nothing) just like the scooters on the streets, they ride the sidewalks. "Sidewalk" where people WALK not scooter rides. What the H are some people thinking?????

"Phuket marine chief threatens jet-ski ban"

but does absolutely jack s**t.

Sadly, some readers also seem to subscribe to that type behavior.

The best he COULD do is to arrest the bad apples and throw them in jail for a month. After the first five or ten go to jail, the rest would clean up their act. However, since this is LOS, all BS talk and no action, the jet skis will still be on the beach next day, next week, next month.

Yes please. Ban please.

and not only in Phuket!

“Jet-skis should be ridden between 300 and 800 metres from the shore – away from high waves closer to the shore,” said Mr Phuriphat.

Doesn't that mean that jet skis should not be on the beach?

In addition to all the scams and safety issues there is also the NOISE.

Perhaps hard for some to believe but many people actually like to sit on a QUIET beach and hear the waves lapping the shore rather than constant roaring of engines.

Maui beaches banned them long ago for both safety and NOISE violations....as far as I can tell none of the Maui tourists seem to be complaining that it is too quiet without the jet skis.

Talk about taking the pi$$?

If only one thing should have been banned then Jet Ski's was it, they serve no good purpose to anyone who has half a brain?, parasailing also, just a nuisance

but Bhat rules No1 as we all know so nothing gonna change in reality.... only the price that has to be paid to those who take the tea money

Why would anyone want to go to Surin Beach anyway? Dirty armpit of a place riddled with overpriced food and scammers where innocent small vendors are threatened by local mafia thugs.

But if you are another naive tourist who thinks the Thais are all delightfully sincere and friendly then carry on risking your families' lives and opening your wallets to the local wasters by holidaying on Thai islands.

BTW, what's that African gentlemen doing driving the jet ski? Does he have a work permit?.

How supportive you couch potatoes are.

Should we support official "inactivity"?

Don't threaten to ban... JUST BAN NOW

BTW, what's that African gentlemen doing driving the jet ski? Does he have a work permit?.

He is not African, he is Thai, the jet ski guys are staying on the beach all day long 7 days a week so they have very dark skin.