Pattaya to reinstall old Koh Larn buoys, step up enforcement following 2 accidents

[Rimmer]

Pattaya to reinstall old Koh Larn buoys, step up enforcement following 2 accidents

PATTAYA:--Pattaya will re-install old buoys off Koh Larn following marine accidents on two consecutive days that left one Chinese tourist dead and nine people injured.

Ekarat Khantaro, director of the Pattaya Marine Department, called a meeting with Pattaya boat operators April 28, chastising them for violating marine regulations instituted in 2014 after a string of deadly marine accidents.

He said accidents on April 25 and 26 occurred in part because speedboat operators were leaving the island at excessive speed and because they failed to use designated pick-up and drop-off points.

Chinese tourist Qi Dong was killed and a Thai guide hurt April 25 when the jet ski they were riding slammed into a moving speedboat off Koh Larn. The boat driver said he never saw the tourist due to high waves.

The following day, two speedboats collided off the island, injuring eight Chinese when one of the boats sank. High waves again were blamed for obscuring visibility.

- See more at: http://www.pattayamail.com/news/pattaya-to-reinstall-old-koh-larn-buoys-step-up-enforcement-following-2-accidents-58190#sthash.b7QCK9b3.dpuf

-- Pattaya Mail 2016-05-06

[BigBadGeordie]

More evidence that the old buoys network is alive and well in Pattaya.

Apologies to our colonial cousins who may not understand this post.

Edited May 6, 2016 by BigBadGeordie

[Ulic]

Thailand where "safety first" is no safety at all.

[Yann55]

Quote : He said accidents on April 25 and 26 occurred in part because speedboat operators were leaving the island at excessive speed

They don't just leave at excessive speeds, they also arrive at excessive speeds.

Quote :The boat driver said he never saw the tourist due to high waves.

And of course nobody ever told him, poor soul, that there are waves in the sea, and that said waves have a wicked tendency to intermittently block the view. Tsk tsk, now who should he sue for failing to give him such vital information ?

Edited May 6, 2016 by Yann55

[crusty]

More evidence that the old buoys network is alive and well in Pattaya.

Apologies to our colonial cousins who may not understand this post.

Yes, I too thought "old buoys" were ex sailors.

[jacko45k]

Thailand where "safety first" is no safety at all.

Money first and acceptable levels of collateral damage?

[Basil B]

As I understand it There is a defined area around Pattaya that comes under the control of the Harbour Master with a 4 knots speed limit.

Maybe time for Koh Larn to have its own Harbour Master restricting most boats to use the Jetties, boats that can use the beach restricted to controlled/designated places, and all boat restricted to no more than 4 Knots within 400m of the Island.

[Keesters]

As I understand it There is a defined area around Pattaya that comes under the control of the Harbour Master with a 4 knots speed limit.

Maybe time for Koh Larn to have its own Harbour Master restricting most boats to use the Jetties, boats that can use the beach restricted to controlled/designated places, and all boat restricted to no more than 4 Knots within 400m of the Island.

And would that 4 knot limit also apply to the Jet Skis?