Police dismiss insurance arson as motive for Phuket tour speedboat blaze

[webfact]

Police dismiss insurance arson as motive for Phuket tour speedboat blaze
The Phuket News


The fire destroyed five tour speedboats and left one more badly damaged. Photo: Amnoy Supawatkan

PHUKET: -- Police have ruled out arson in order to claim insurance payouts for the fire the engulfed six Phuket tour speedboats in Chalong last month.

The fire, which broke out before 3am on April 19, caused an estimated B25 million in damage to six speedboats belonging to Nikorn Marine Tours. (See story here.)

“We do not think that the boats were set on fire intentionally, but we will wait for forensic police to conclude their findings,” Capt Wuthiwat Liangboonjinda of the Chalong Police told The Phuket News today (May10)

“The boats have no insurance, so setting them on fire to get insurance money is out of the question,” he added.

Capt Wuthiwat confirmed his officers were investigating a fuel drum found on board one of the scorched speedboats.

“One of the boats did have a fuel drum on board when it caught fire, but the owner said all his boats had one. Hopefully, forensic police will be able to tell us whether it had fuel in it or if it was the source of the explosion that people heard,” he said.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/police-dismiss-insurance-arson-as-motive-for-phuket-tour-speedboat-blaze-57366.php


-- Phuket News 2016-05-11

[Old Croc]

One month into the investigation and the police have made a major breakthrough.

They've ruled out arson to claim insurance money, as the boats weren't insured.

From the attached article:

“The guard, Donsafad Pormin, 55, admitted that he used a Zipo lighter to light a cigarette in the boat at one time, but he did not clarify whether this was how the fire started,"

Interesting.

As I said previously, I think full tanks of fuel make a tempting pilfering target.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Old Croc

[steelepulse]

I hereby award the genius of the day to Pisit.

>>“And I don’t understand why the guard lighting a cigarette would be the centre of this investigation. Those guys smoke all the time when they walk past the area, and we’ve never had a problem.” Mr Pisit said.

[stuandjulie]

Hmmm so one of Phuket's biggest speedboat tour operators had no Insurance ?

[madmitch]

You couldn't make it up! Pure comedy genius from the police and the deputy mayor. Well I laughed, anyway.

[gandalf12]

Hmmm so one of Phuket's biggest speedboat tour operators had no Insurance ?

It was only $800,000 that went up in smoke. Next bunch of tourists will make that up

[stevenl]

Hmmm so one of Phuket's biggest speedboat tour operators had no Insurance ?

Boat insurance. Public accident insurance is compulsory.

[lvr181]

Yup, "we" have insurance. It says so on "our" websites! Everything is ok.

I bet no-one ever asks to see the policy document and a certificate of currency (is the policy valid and paid for)? And if you were shown it, do you understand Thai language?

Therefore, assume that there is no insurance and accept the risk. "We" have insurance is just a marketing gimmick, I would suggest.

And the mass fire of these, claimed uninsured, speedboats would lend support to my observations. But.............

[stevenl]

Yup, "we" have insurance. It says so on "our" websites! Everything is ok.

I bet no-one ever asks to see the policy document and a certificate of currency (is the policy valid and paid for)? And if you were shown it, do you understand Thai language?

Therefore, assume that there is no insurance and accept the risk. "We" have insurance is just a marketing gimmick, I would suggest.

And the mass fire of these, claimed uninsured, speedboats would lend support to my observations. But.............

Sorry, not correct.

Insurance is checked on bi yearly licence renewal and if you follow the news you would have seen that they make the occasional insurance claim.

[lvr181]

Yup, "we" have insurance. It says so on "our" websites! Everything is ok.

I bet no-one ever asks to see the policy document and a certificate of currency (is the policy valid and paid for)? And if you were shown it, do you understand Thai language?

Therefore, assume that there is no insurance and accept the risk. "We" have insurance is just a marketing gimmick, I would suggest.

And the mass fire of these, claimed uninsured, speedboats would lend support to my observations. But.............

Sorry, not correct.

Insurance is checked on bi yearly licence renewal and if you follow the news you would have seen that they make the occasional insurance claim.

And it is not written only in Thai so tourists can understand it?

BTW I am not talking about the boat insurance, but where tour companies advertise insurance cover on their websites.

[stevenl]

Yup, "we" have insurance. It says so on "our" websites! Everything is ok.

I bet no-one ever asks to see the policy document and a certificate of currency (is the policy valid and paid for)? And if you were shown it, do you understand Thai language?

Therefore, assume that there is no insurance and accept the risk. "We" have insurance is just a marketing gimmick, I would suggest.

And the mass fire of these, claimed uninsured, speedboats would lend support to my observations. But.............

Sorry, not correct.

Insurance is checked on bi yearly licence renewal and if you follow the news you would have seen that they make the occasional insurance claim.

And it is not written only in Thai so tourists can understand it?

BTW I am not talking about the boat insurance, but where tour companies advertise insurance cover on their websites.

A certificate is handed out to the company and the insurance policy is in English and Thai.

[tuanku]

Hmmm so one of Phuket's biggest speedboat tour operators had no Insurance ?

Yes, makes you wonder about the others, and the regulatory framework, doesn't it?

Also about the tour companies for whom uninsured boats ferrying their clients apparently isn't a problem.

[stevenl]

Hmmm so one of Phuket's biggest speedboat tour operators had no Insurance ?

Yes, makes you wonder about the others, and the regulatory framework, doesn't it?

Also about the tour companies for whom uninsured boats ferrying their clients apparently isn't a problem.

They have accident insurance. Boat insurance does not affect the clients in the least.

[steelepulse]

How much does the accident insurance cover per paying customer?

[steelepulse]

Paging our expert on these matters stevenl. Being in the industry, surely you know the figure on insurance payout. I bet it's not very much per person, but rather a token, I'd sure like to be proven wrong so we know the tourists would actually be taken care of and up to international standards if heaven forbid insurance of the boats was needed to pay for an operation.

[madmitch]

Paging our expert on these matters stevenl. Being in the industry, surely you know the figure on insurance payout. I bet it's not very much per person, but rather a token, I'd sure like to be proven wrong so we know the tourists would actually be taken care of and up to international standards if heaven forbid insurance of the boats was needed to pay for an operation.

I'll jump in there, SP, as I'm an ex-insurance man myself.

The minimum requirement for tour operator's liability is THB100,000 per person for medical expenses, 200,000 for death. Of course the injured party will probably have to fight to get a full payout! This insurance is necessary in order to get a tour operator's licence. I don't know which companies provide this basic insurance. It's a bit like the compulsory insurance element of your car policy.

Certain tour operators take out much higher limits of liability, one advertises USD3m on its website, which is more in common with the type of limits you'd find in a Western nation.

This is separate from marine hull insurance, which is probably not compulsory.

[stevenl]

Paging our expert on these matters stevenl. Being in the industry, surely you know the figure on insurance payout. I bet it's not very much per person, but rather a token, I'd sure like to be proven wrong so we know the tourists would actually be taken care of and up to international standards if heaven forbid insurance of the boats was needed to pay for an operation.

Just back in the shop after being away from it for a few days. Sounds like you missed me SP

In addition to Madmitch, for diving the minimum requirements are 500k medical expenses and 1 mio life.

These insurances are only available at AIG.

And yes, hull insurance is not compulsory, would be of no benefit to a guest.