Chinese tourist deaths spur Phuket, Phi Phi tour boat safety hike

[webfact]

Chinese tourist deaths spur Phuket, Phi Phi tour boat safety hike
Tanyaluk Sakoot


Tour speedboat operators in Phuket and Krabi, including Phi Phi Island, are about to come under closer scrutiny say local Marine Chiefs. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

PHUKET: -- The Marine Chiefs of Krabi and Phuket have vowed to tackle dangerous speedboat operators in the wake of 18-year-old Chinese tourist Li Yuheng dying after the femoral artery in his left leg was slashed by a propeller at Phi Phi Island last week.

“Despite all efforts to save him, Mr Li died at 11:23 pm on July 8 at Krabi Hospital due to the injuries he sustained after being hit by the propeller,” confirmed Lt Col Chaetpan Naruedon, Chief Investigator at Phi Phi Police Station.

“Naradon Tongdee, 20, who started the engine, causing Mr Li’s injuries, has been charged with recklessness causing death.

“The tour company’s insurance has paid about B2.3 million in compensation to Mr Li’s family, the tour company also covered the costs of the family’s visit to Thailand following the incident,” he said.

Mr Li’s death follows the deadly collision of two tour speedboats off Phuket on June 8 that left two Chinese tourists dead and 34 other tourists injured. That incident, along with several fatal accidents off Pattaya, prompted a major push for marine safety improvements at the national level.

Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul in Phuket on June 16 announced a raft of new measures to improve marine safety in Thailand, while the Tourism Authority of Thailand also on June 16 posted the new 10-point marine safety crackdown on its website.

Full story:

[Pattaya28]

But we keep hearing "Marine Safety" must / will be "improved".

What in reality is being done ?

Anything ?

[NongKhaiKid]

But we keep hearing "Marine Safety" must / will be "improved".

What in reality is being done ?

Anything ?

Well there's a lot of talking !

Not sure if any committees have been formed.

Edited July 13, 2016 by NongKhaiKid

[BigBadGeordie]

But we keep hearing "Marine Safety" must / will be "improved".

What in reality is being done ?

Anything ?

Well there's a lot of talking !

Not sure if any committees have been formed.

That is clearly the problem here, lack of committees, and associated sub-committees, progress cannot be made without them. I fail to see how the powers that be have missed this, a simple scan of recent news items clearly identifies this route as the solution to all problems.

A committee should be formed at the highest level to ensure that all government officials understand the need to form committees. This committee in turn should report back to a special sub-committee (yet to be formed) of the NCPO.

Just a proposal, perhaps a committee should be formed to evaluate this idea?

Edited July 14, 2016 by BigBadGeordie

[Deli]

Maybe committee is just another word M....??

[Blackheart1916]

An awful lot of "vowing", and not much else, going on in the last few years. RIP young man.

[steelepulse]

Is this a recorded message they roll out every time something happens? Sounds the same as when the last accident occurred and made the news.

[Junkyarddog]

Ah, another one day crackdown.

[Psimbo]

Is anyone keeping track of all the 'hikes'- I seem to have lost count.

[dcsw53]

Interesting priorities here.

Any death is a tragedy, but more so if it is a Chinese tourist, which could affect visitor numbers. What reaction was there to the Brit and German who died in a criminal boat incident in Samui. Sorry Europe you are no longer of interest.

[Emster23]

Perhaps a one week "window of opportunity" to take a boat ride there, if you must. After that, business as usual

[Caveat Emptor]

Adverse publicity involving a tourist, quick let's make it look as if we're doing something about the safety issue.

[robblok]

If they put in a mandatory fine of 1.000.000 for the tour-company on top of compensation and tough punishment on boat captains something might change. Now its just talk.

[Khun Paul]

Ok they have a meeting to set up a committee, then that committee will have a meeting to decide the date of the next meeting to talk about the problem then at that meerting they will defer for experts to form a committee to decide the best way forward, then the meeting will decide how to present the action plan to the main committee who will then take months even years to decide the best way forward.

All the time creaming millions of baht in expenses and trips and visits and boat trips then we will have a change of government again and the whole process will begin again. BUT THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[biggles45]

blah, blah, blah....the usual rubbish public relations statement to convince people things will change when the reality is that nothing ever does. !!

[steelepulse]

I don't even think the locals believe what these guys spout anymore. That's saying something!

[gandalf12]

As always lots of talk and no action. Why don't the people in charge say noting and just sort things out? We are sick of hearing the rhetoric and is nothing more than trying to look good but in reality nothing ever happens.

Thai's may have short memories but tourists don't.

[tuanku]

When you have extreme difficulty anticipating the possible consequences of your actions, safety is always going to be a big challenge.

[whatproblem]

So this time it will be better than international standards

[Redline]

New committee! It's your turn t get the whiskey, I'll get the soda. Crackdown!!!!

[Redline]

When you have extreme difficulty anticipating the possible consequences of your actions, safety is always going to be a big challenge.

Especially without enforcement

[Loles]

And where is the surprise ?

Thai minivans, buses, speedboats, elephant tracking places, roads, bungle jumping trying, extreme parks are MORTAL DABERS.

Every-one knows well.