Let's hope they at least get the 1000 baht fine for ignoring the boats capacity. The Marine Park chief of the district is doing a great job instilling safety first under his watch! Just check the news headlines for boat accidents, drownings, maimings etc.

Where did you read the boat's capacity was ignored? Unless you mean it was not fully loaded to capacity?

In the second article"The 50-passenger boat, owned by the Rak Talay tour company, was carrying 63 tourists at the time of the incident, said Phang Nga Marine Police Chief Jakkree Mekumphonsuit."

Hmm, earlier they said 70 allowed.

Standard fine for overloading is 1,000 Baht per passenger.

You have money to burn? Buy a boat!!!!

One troll post and subsequent replies have been removed from this thread.

On a positive note, the fishing boat has just acquired 50 new volunteer workers.

I wonder if they thought of removing the offending piece of timber from the sea or just rescued people and then away they go. Just leave it for the next boat to come along and hit. I am sure it was not retrieved because there was no photo with a multitude of people pointing at it.

Thai PBS:

According to the Similan Island national park chief Nat Kongkesorn, the boat is new and is powered by four engines with a capacity to load up to 70 passengers.

Phuket Gazette:

The 50-passenger boat, owned by the Rak Talay tour company, was carrying 63 tourists at the time of the incident, said Phang Nga Marine Police Chief Jakkree Mekumphonsuit.

Take your pick. Obviously, the rules and facts are shall we say, flexible, in Thailand as suits the speaker.

That's quite a speed boat, 63 pax plus a few crew, and licensed to carry 70 pax.

I wonder if they thought of removing the offending piece of timber from the sea or just rescued people and then away they go. Just leave it for the next boat to come along and hit. I am sure it was not retrieved because there was no photo with a multitude of people pointing at it.

The piece of timber may have been too large to manhandle onto the boat? Why suspect the worst?

I wonder if they thought of removing the offending piece of timber from the sea or just rescued people and then away they go. Just leave it for the next boat to come along and hit. I am sure it was not retrieved because there was no photo with a multitude of people pointing at it.

The piece of timber may have been too large to manhandle onto the boat? Why suspect the worst?

It was said 2 boats picked up the people from the sea. Therefore on average each boat took 32 people (31.5 for the pedantic) so they were decent sized boat. I still think it possible to get the timber onboard. For those fibreglass boats, and I was on one in Krabi not more than 3 weeks ago, it would not need to be too big to crack the hull. They have 3 x 200hp or 2 x 250 hp outboards. Believe me they only have 2 speeds. Stop and flat out. So they would have been flat out therefore would not need anything big to hit it to crack the hull. So yes I do think they could have retrieved it but I would lay money that they did'nt.

Just to take a stab here, plywood hull with a light fiberglass coating, the boat made as cheaply as possible for maximum profit, safety not really a concern. Good thing there was a boat near by to assist!

Wow you know so much,