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Phuket Marine Office to play hard ball with foreign yachts
Phuket Gazette


Foreign-vessels must check in at the Phuket Yacht Control Center at Chalong Pier. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Marine Office has vowed to toughen its stance on foreign yachts needing to install Automatic Identification System (AIS) devices and report to the Phuket Yacht Control Center when arriving and departing the region.

September last year, Phuket Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut told the boating community that all foreign yachts in Phuket had to be fitted with AIS devices by October 1 or face six months in jail (story here). However, he recently admitted that his officers had been ‘playing soft’ and being flexible with foreign-vessel owners with regards to the new regulations.

Part of the official order released in English on Monday read: Marine Office Phuket Branch would like to emphasize that all foreign boats that enter and leave Phuket province’s port, which are cruise[ing], yacht[ing] and [sic] sailing yacht have to:

1. Keeping the Automatic Identification System (AIS) system active at all times.

2. Bring the vessels to Chalong Bay for checking your chip position with the Vessel Traffic Monitoring System (VTMS) before moving to marina, anchoring or leaving Thai waters.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-Marine-Office-play-hard-ball-foreign/62187?desktopversion


-- Phuket Gazette 2015-10-21

[NCC1701A]

I had better let my Captain know.

[Sharp]

Maybe they should pay under the table for an easy ride!!

Works for the jetski thugs!!

Rumour has it...

[fritzzz25]

If you don't have an AIS you will face 6 months jail. But if you "pistol whip" someone, just make sure you have 500 baht!

[Jimi007]

The Phuket Marine Office really has it's priorities screwed up! Foreign vessels aren't much of a problem here, they never have been, but I suppose it's their cash cow. Why don't they do their job and enforce the laws that would save tourists lives, like inspecting and certifying Thai "captains" and their who endanger tourists lives! And get rid of the illegal jet skis, that are somehow "legal" only in Phuket.

“We are pushing this for safety. Foreign vessels must install an AIS Class B or higher system. This way, we will be able to tell where larger vessels are and possibly be able to determine who caused an accident,” said Mr Phuripat. “If your vessel breaks down and you need help, we can easily find you if you have your AIS receiver on. So instead of searching by air or ship, which is expensive, we can quickly begin a rescue.” If this is true, why don't all Thai boats, especially those for hire that are carrying foreign tourists, be required to have AIS installed? Yet another ridiculous Thai double standard...

Edited October 21, 2015 by Jimi007

[AJBangkok]

Just disguise the yachts as very large jet skis and the marine office won't bother you at all.

[zyphodb]

Ah ha, those pesky foreigners with yachts have money, how can we screw them for some???

[BngkkB]

Yep make it hard for the "Quality" tourist they say they want in Thailand.

[elgordo38]

Ah ha, those pesky foreigners with yachts have money, how can we screw them for some???

If any are owned by the elite in Bangkok this has already blown over.

[TimmyT]

I can't believe that before it was possible to arrive to Phuket on yacht without AIS. It means that anybody can arrive on the yacht with drugs or something worse...

why don't you complain that Thai government does not let you enter the country without passport?!

[user4365423653]

I have sailed small sailboats around the world all my life. This regulation is the only one of its kind in the world. Thai naval authorities should travel a bit and get a better grasp of the real world. A 30-foot sailboat travelling around the world does not have the energy to run an AIS system, let alone the money to buy it. This regulation, like many others, is based on paranoia. It might be easy for a 100-foot 2 million dollar yacht to have AIS, but not so for small saling vessels peacefully cruising the oceans of the world.

[tuanku]

I have sailed small sailboats around the world all my life. This regulation is the only one of its kind in the world. Thai naval authorities should travel a bit and get a better grasp of the real world. A 30-foot sailboat travelling around the world does not have the energy to run an AIS system, let alone the money to buy it. This regulation, like many others, is based on paranoia. It might be easy for a 100-foot 2 million dollar yacht to have AIS, but not so for small saling vessels peacefully cruising the oceans of the world.

I believe one is obliged to have one if you enter Singapore waters.

[Saan]

Once again tourists are being told to stay away from Thailand.

Soon they will get the message and cut the country out of their SEA itinerary.

It is sad because it really is a lovely country if the bureaucrats would just stay at home.

[waxon]

I have sailed small sailboats around the world all my life. This regulation is the only one of its kind in the world. Thai naval authorities should travel a bit and get a better grasp of the real world. A 30-foot sailboat travelling around the world does not have the energy to run an AIS system, let alone the money to buy it. This regulation, like many others, is based on paranoia. It might be easy for a 100-foot 2 million dollar yacht to have AIS, but not so for small saling vessels peacefully cruising the oceans of the world.

I believe one is obliged to have one if you enter Singapore waters.

Singapore's requirement is for powered vessels. In the US an AIS transponder is only required for commercial vessels.

[jaapfries]

I have sailed small sailboats around the world all my life. This regulation is the only one of its kind in the world. Thai naval authorities should travel a bit and get a better grasp of the real world. A 30-foot sailboat travelling around the world does not have the energy to run an AIS system, let alone the money to buy it. This regulation, like many others, is based on paranoia. It might be easy for a 100-foot 2 million dollar yacht to have AIS, but not so for small saling vessels peacefully cruising the oceans of the world.

You took the words right out of my mouth; the vast bulk of yachts affected by this would be sailing-vessels up to about 50' with no or limited capacity to generate enough power: that's the reason we're called "Sailors" . . . . . . .

[Christie Paul]

In so many diverse ways - they are making Thailand a good place to avoid.

[Langsuan Man]

I thought that there was a big push to get more "yachts" to come to Phuket as part of the quality tourists we want campaign

So many naked grabs for power in this country

[pistachios]

Seems like a thinly veiled official tea money inducing scheme. Damage to high revenue tourism? Who cares! Another win by Khun Phuripat.

[NamKangMan]

I thought that there was a big push to get more "yachts" to come to Phuket as part of the quality tourists we want campaign

So many naked grabs for power in this country

"I thought that there was a big push to get more "yachts" to come to Phuket" - there is. It's so they can make them buy an AIS system, or they go to gaol.

[spidermike007]

Anyone with a large yacht should be given a personal welcome by the governor of Phuket. And a free dinner. And the marina should send a host out to set up the system for free.

Thailand has been going on and on and on about wanting high end tourists. What better way to attract them, than to lock up a few wealthy yachtsmen for 6 months? The positive word will get around quickly. Great PR. Something the little guy is very good at!

[Gene1960]

We installed the AIS Class B on our Thai registered 33ft boat on the insistent advice from the boys in purple shirts.

They said that a vessel under the Thai flag with a foreign captain and owner shall bear an AIS -B unit. They also advised us to install a fixed, standalone VHF radio with DSC. We used a couple of handhelds before.

The guy from the marine office said that they have had a new policy. As far as I understand Thai vessels with Thai captains are not affected ( yet).

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited November 4, 2015 by Gene1960

[Asiantravel]

Once again tourists are being told to stay away from Thailand.

Soon they will get the message and cut the country out of their SEA itinerary.

It is sad because it really is a lovely country if the bureaucrats would just stay at home.

I'm sure they would be given a far better welcome in Sihanoukville Port in Cambodia