New pier will speed up rescues at sea off Phuket

[webfact]

New pier will speed up rescues at sea off Phuket
Nattapat Tuarob


The pier will jut out to the south from this point.

PHUKET: -- A new pier is to be built close to Rassada Pier, to the southwest of Phuket Town, to allow rescue services to react faster in the event of an emergency or disaster on the sea around Phuket.

Sa-Ngob Satone, Senior Public Works Technician from Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket (DPM), explained to The Phuket News, “At present, rescue boats from DPM or the Marine Police are moored next to Rassada Pier.

“But with all the commercial boat traffic, the way out is ofteen blocked by other boats, causing delays in rescuing tourists. So in order to speed things up we have decided to build a pier that will be for the exclusive use of official vessels.

“Once the pier is completed the Marine Policem the DPM and medical staff will be on call at the pier around the clock, allowing us to move much faster.

“For example, if a problem occurs 10 nautical miles away, rescue teams will be able to get there within 20 minutes of being alerted.”

A budget of B44 million has been allocated for building the pier and offices. It is expected to be completed by September or October next year.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/new-pier-will-speed-up-rescues-at-sea-off-phuket-50202.php


-- Phuket News 2014-12-19

[lil fluffy clouds]

How often do they do rescues?

[Jimi007]

The pier in Rawai is pretty much unused, but why bother, let's build another right next to the one in Rassada...

[stevenl]

The pier in Rawai is pretty much unused, but why bother, let's build another right next to the one in Rassada...

Well, that one is on the other side of the island from where the tours to Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay depart and return.

But I find it very hard to believe that building a whole new pier is the best and cheapest solution.

[Bogan Koori]

How will the rescue boats get past the myraid of wrecks that litter that part of the island?

[fester the benevolent]

44M Baht would probably be better spent teaching Phuket boat captains how to drive their boats and enforcing regulations on life jackets and fire extinguishers and other things ike that.

If the problem is that "(But) with all the commercial boat traffic, the way out is ofteen blocked by other boats,"[sic] it is hard to see how building another pier right next to the current one will solve it.

“For example, if a problem occurs 10 nautical miles away, rescue teams will be able to get there within 20 minutes of being alerted.”

Are they building a pier or a helipad?

[Old Croc]

“For example, if a problem occurs 10 nautical miles away, rescue teams will be able to get there within 20 minutes of being alerted.”

Are they building a pier or a helipad?

Yes, I was wondering about that too.

Even allowing for an instant response time, their vessel would have to average about 55kph to cover that distance.

[Bogan Koori]

For example, if a problem occurs 10 nautical miles away, rescue teams will be able to get there within 20 minutes of being alerted.

Are they building a pier or a helipad?

Yes, I was wondering about that too.

Even allowing for an instant response time, their vessel would have to average about 55kph to cover that distance.

I would have thought with all the tourist dollars flowing into the island they would have 2 or 3 medivac choppers

[chrisinth]

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“For example, if a problem occurs 10 nautical miles away, rescue teams will be able to get there within 20 minutes of being alerted.”

Are they building a pier or a helipad?

Yes, I was wondering about that too.

Even allowing for an instant response time, their vessel would have to average about 55kph to cover that distance.

Whereas that is true, it is only 30 knots.

This is easily managed with a rigid inflatable fitted with twin outboards. In a past life i was driving rigids with twin 300 mercurys which were maxing at about 60 knots (110kph) with four people up. Operational boats working similar to inshore rescue, just with a different purpose.

If Phuket does not have inshore rescue boats which can't manage 30 knots, then yes, building a new pier just for rescue services seems a bit pointless. The money would be better spent on getting fast reaction craft instead.

[Old Croc]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

“For example, if a problem occurs 10 nautical miles away, rescue teams will be able to get there within 20 minutes of being alerted.”

Are they building a pier or a helipad?

Yes, I was wondering about that too.

Even allowing for an instant response time, their vessel would have to average about 55kph to cover that distance.

Whereas that is true, it is only 30 knots.

This is easily managed with a rigid inflatable fitted with twin outboards. In a past life i was driving rigids with twin 300 mercurys which were maxing at about 60 knots (110kph) with four people up. Operational boats working similar to inshore rescue, just with a different purpose.

If Phuket does not have inshore rescue boats which can't manage 30 knots, then yes, building a new pier just for rescue services seems a bit pointless. The money would be better spent on getting fast reaction craft instead.

I'm fairly sure the rescue service on Phuket doesn't have Ribs with twin 300 mercs.

From what I could find on-line, they were given funds (17 million baht) a few years back to buy equipment, including speedboats with a minimum top speed of 25 knots. Who knows how that money was spent!

As far as I can tell all on-water rescues near Phuket in recent years (and there's been many of them) have been effected by other nearby private craft. Official rescue craft were nowhere to be seen.

I stand by my disbelief of the statement that the rescue service could cover 10 nautical miles in 20 minutes! Remember, that is presuming an instant response time!

Can anyone advise what vessels this service has at their disposal?

[JetsetBkk]

A budget of B44 million has been allocated for building the pier and offices.

I wonder how much will be spent on building the pier and offices.

.

Edited December 23, 2014 by JetsetBkk