Phuket superyacht forum to be held on Friday

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Phuket superyacht forum to be held on Friday
The Phuket News


The second forum about allowing superyachts to charter in Thai waters will

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Marine Office has announced that the second meeting to gather feedback and suggestions about easing regulations allowing foreign superyachts to operate charter tours while in Thai waters will be held on Friday (June 19), starting at 1:30pm.

The meeting will be held at the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Regional Center Phuket 18, near Phuket Provincial Hall.

The first meeting, held on May 11, covered the main points of the shift in government policy to support the development of Phuket as a marina and marine tourism hub.

Specifically raised at the meeting in May was the issuance of licenses to foreign superyachts to operate charters ni Thai waters, and the advent of a new yacht show to be held in Phuket at the end of this year or early 2016. (See story here.)

“The government has launched a policy to make Thailand a marina hub of Asean and to make Phuket a tourism special economic zone,” said Puripat Tharapiban, chief of the Phuket Marine Office.

“Phuket is ready for this; the province has a proper airport and piers to support yachts and superyachts,” he added.

“And to attract more tourists interested in yachts, we are planning to hold a yacht show around the end of this year or the beginning of next year.”

Any persons wanting to take part in the meeting on Friday are asked to register their attendance in advance by fax to 076-391247 or by email to [email protected].

The deadline for registration is Thursday (June 18).

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-superyacht-forum-to-be-held-on-friday-52784.php

-- Phuket News 2015-06-15

[impulse]

Superyachts are cool.

But I have absolutely no interest in going to look at cool stuff I will never be able to afford. It's like those young chippies at the car show. Vacuous eye candy. (The ones at Ferrari, not the ones at Yugo)

When is Thailand (and most of Asia) going to realize that just about every yacht owner started in a dinghy and kept trading up as they grew older, learned more and got bigger paychecks? Yet, I have never seen a Thai boat show that focuses on boats for the other 99% of us.

How about a path to those super yachts that begins with starter boats, and legal trailering, and being able to drive those starter boats without hiring a captain or getting (for all intents and purposes) a commercial license just to go water skiing?

Thailand can have the best docking facilities in the world, but once their guests step off the dock, they're in an atmosphere created and maintained to appeal to low budget travelers. If I could afford a super yacht, I'd certainly be docking it elsewhere- where the plastic garbage and illegal cast off fishing nets don't foul my props, and where the police actually protect their guests.

Edited June 15, 2015 by impulse