Iain and Elaine Marshall Share Details of Ferry Explosion

[Jacob Maslow]

Shani Maril of Modiin, Israel

A new recount of the doomed ferry that killed 12-year old Shani Maril, who was on vacation as a Bat-Mitzvah present, has been released by her grandparents, Iain and Elaine Marshall.

The couple was onboard the ferry when they heard the explosion in the engine room and saw smoke. As fire overtook the boat, passengers rushed to the front deck as the little girl was stuck in the back of the boat.

A crew member jumped into the water and the couple followed. A lifejacket was thrown to the couple, but on the ferry, none of the passengers knew where the lifejackets were kept. After the ferry sank into the water, matters got worse for the couple.

Losing the entirety of their luggage, the couple was left to fend for themselves – with no passports. The biggest issue is that the British Embassy in Bangkok did not provide adequate support to the couple. Instead, they stated an emergency passport costing £95 each would be required.

Even with travel insurance, the couple was not able to retrieve their money and had to call on Ian’s boss to send money to cover their return home.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Offices has stated that they are providing consular assistance to all passengers that were on board the Ao Nang Princess 5.

-- 2015-04-15

[Oziex1]

Iain and Elaine Marshall are not the little girls Grand Parents, they are from Salford UK.

Stories in other publications described them as Grand Parents with no mention of them being Shani's

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/british-couple-leap-sea-survive-5521000

[Baerboxer]

All British travelers and expats should read the British Government websites which clearly state the extent of help and assistance you can expect in various situations.

Similarly, know what insurance cover you decide to buy (or not to buy in some cases).

You have to take responsibility - the British government doesn't.

[razer]

British Embassy announcing they will assist AFTER publication about the emergency passport issue? Sounds so Thai.

[SoFarAndNear]

Nice how EU countries taking care of refugees from around the world with free food, accomodation and medical treatment but their own people seems to be not that important...

[The manic]

The British get f**know all help when abroad. Toffee nosed public school t***so in the back office and local a*****less in the front office. The victims of misfortune get less help than an illegal immigrant.

[The manic]

All British travelers and expats should read the British Government websites which clearly state the extent of help and assistance you can expect in various situations.

Similarly, know what insurance cover you decide to buy (or not to buy in some cases).

You have to take responsibility - the British government doesn't.

They did not cause the problem. They were victims. They had travel insurance. The British Embassy as usual behaved callously and disgracefully. They are there to help British businesses not British people in need of help. They are just dreadful. And insurance companies are a con. Edited April 16, 2015 by The manic

[evadgib]

The British get f**know all help when abroad. Toffee nosed public school t***so in the back office and local a*****less in the front office. The victims of misfortune get less help than an illegal immigrant.

What exactly should they have done that wasn't already covered by Insurers, Tour Operators or local authorities?

[Happy Grumpy]

The biggest issue is that the British Embassy in Bangkok did not provide adequate support to the couple. Instead, they stated an emergency passport costing £95 each would be required.

I'm personally shocked by this.

[Baerboxer]

All British travelers and expats should read the British Government websites which clearly state the extent of help and assistance you can expect in various situations.

Similarly, know what insurance cover you decide to buy (or not to buy in some cases).

You have to take responsibility - the British government doesn't.

They did not cause the problem. They were victims. They had travel insurance. The British Embassy as usual behaved callously and disgracefully. They are there to help British businesses not British people in need of help. They are just dreadful. And insurance companies are a con.

They were victims - and the managed the risks when traveling abroad by taking out insurance. The chance of this happening is remote and yes, it would be nice if the embassy had stepped in, looked after them, gave them a free emergency travel document, staked them a few pounds until they got their money supply sorted etc etc.

But Embassies don't do this, the government couldn't give a fig and the embassy behaved as they have been instructed to.

You will pay more for less service from a government who couldn't care less about your welfare but will want to know all your private business and also pass laws to make it easier for them to dip into your personal savings whenever they fancy and treat you like a leper as you've chosen to live elsewhere.

You've a chance to vote on the 7th - but don't hold your breadth on anything changing for the better.

[4u2mad]

The biggest issue is that the British Embassy in Bangkok did not provide adequate support to the couple. Instead, they stated an emergency passport costing £95 each would be required.

I'm personally shocked by this.

Not shocked at all H.G. Typical of the assistance (not) that I expect to get from UK government. Yer on yer own, mate!

[The manic]

The British get f**know all help when abroad. Toffee nosed public school t***so in the back office and local a*****less in the front office. The victims of misfortune get less help than an illegal immigrant.

What exactly should they have done that wasn't already covered by Insurers, Tour Operators or local authorities?

Shown mercy, compassion and sympathy and not acted like authoritarian box ticking t***so. That is what they should have done.

[gk10002000]

Lost their passports eh? Don't any travelers follow the standard advice of keeping your passport on you and NOT in your luggage which it sounds like this couple did? Those good old fashioned "fanny packs" really do work pretty well. A re-sealable plastic lunch baggie can save you a world of hurt.

Now for what is more important is I still haven't heard the details of who this girl is or how she was "stuck" in the bathroom? Door got jammed and nobody tried to go and help her? Flames blocking access to the toilet door? What adults if any were traveling with her and didn't they know where she had gone? Didn't they try to help her? I know it was a bit of a panic situation but after the first minute was nothing done or known about the girl's whereabouts?

[The manic]

Lost their passports eh? Don't any travelers follow the standard advice of keeping your passport on you and NOT in your luggage which it sounds like this couple did? Those good old fashioned "fanny packs" really do work pretty well. A re-sealable plastic lunch baggie can save you a world of hurt.

Now for what is more important is I still haven't heard the details of who this girl is or how she was "stuck" in the bathroom? Door got jammed and nobody tried to go and help her? Flames blocking access to the toilet door? What adults if any were traveling with her and didn't they know where she had gone? Didn't they try to help her? I know it was a bit of a panic situation but after the first minute was nothing done or known about the girl's whereabouts?

Your smug 20/20 hindsight vision is lacking in charity and mercy. You, like other TV members, seem to delight in other people's misfortunes. What should the British Embassy have done? They should have done the right thing. The UK government bleeds us dry, and tax us to the max so their civil servants abroad, paid for by our taxes, should give us better service. I have met embassy reps in many different countries the British are the worst. I am from England and I wish my Embassy gave the same kind of help and assistance to my people as other embassies give to their people. The staff are over paid under worked parasites. You can bet if one of their family was in trouble abroad they would get proper help. Or if they were illegal immigrants...They would get more help.

Edited April 30, 2015 by The manic

[LivinginKata]

Now for what is more important is I still haven't heard the details of who this girl is or how she was "stuck" in the bathroom? Door got jammed and nobody tried to go and help her? Flames blocking access to the toilet door? What adults if any were traveling with her and didn't they know where she had gone? Didn't they try to help her? I know it was a bit of a panic situation but after the first minute was nothing done or known about the girl's whereabouts?

If you read back about this incident then you should have read all the details about this12 year old girl, How her father tried to save her, but was beaten back by the flames, and how he saved his wife and other children. That's what was 'done'