Australian woman dead after colliding with husband's jetski at Kata Beach

[chrissables]

2 minutes ago, Alan Deer said:

 

The use of jet skis is hugely under-supervised in Thailand...and emergency services are way too skant.

 

If Thailand wishes to sell itself as an international holiday play ground they need to buck up their ideas and hopefully accidents like this will be more avoidable.

 

Blaming those on the jet skis is a simplistic approach - anyone who works with safety in any form will know full well the pervasive nature of human error - both active and judgmental - this is not a factor that can be significantly changed - what can be changed is the circumstances that allow unfortunate errors in behavior and judgment.

 

 

 

 

 

You must work for the crazy Health and Safety brigade!

 

Of course the person who is riding the.....insert any vehicle.....is responsible for their actions. If they can't or will not accept that responsibility they should not hire the vehicle.

 

The only exception would be if the vehicle was faulty.

[realenglish1]

RIP sorry for the boyfriend He must be beside himself

 

[deepcell]

RIP young woman.

[4MyEgo]

2 hours ago, Thechook said:

On Australian news.  Absolute tragedy and she was so young and beautiful.  There should be a law that you must posses a licence to hire a jet ski,  motor bike etc.  I know you must have on in Australia but I guess that money comes before lives in Thailand.

I remember riding jet ski's in the Greek Islands years ago, no license was required, however you were told at the beginning that you had to be 200 metres apart from each other and if they saw you within the 200 metre parameters they would come and take you back and your time would be up there and then.

 

Perhaps similar rules should apply, if they are not already applied. As for being licensed to ride jet ski's in Thailand, don't hold your breath, just look at how many tourists are allowed to ride motorbikes with a motor vehicle drivers license, no motorcycle license which is just asking for trouble because we know if you don't have experience on motorbikes, you have a death wish. 

[malcoml]

2 hours ago, Thechook said:

On Australian news.  Absolute tragedy and she was so young and beautiful.  There should be a law that you must posses a licence to hire a jet ski,  motor bike etc.  I know you must have on in Australia but I guess that money comes before lives in Thailand.

There should be but lets be honest you can rent anything in Thailand license or not... car, scooter, 1100 cc superbike, elephant, water buffalo.

[Alan Deer]

10 minutes ago, chrissables said:

My comprehension of responsibility and safety are fully up to date.

 

Of course if i was making a living from selling the shit the Health and Safety  brigade impose on the general public, i could come up with many ideas, as people like you do.

 

If a person hires a vehicle, they are responsible for THEIR actions, nobody else. 

QED - you haven't even scratched the surface.

[Alan Deer]

Apart from the complete lack of safety regs - it seems that some posters believe that if the couple were ugly the accident would have been less serious......

 

rather than nape-of-the-neck statements maybe they should think a bit more around the topic and consider the circumstances that this allowed this incident to occur

[gomangosteen]

3 hours ago, Briggsy said:

The boyfriend will now be charged for the damage in line with previous Phuket jetski incidents.

And if it had been two rental cars involved in an accident, eg from Hertz or Avis ....unless hirer had taken out insurance....what's the difference? 

Would a rental car company pay on compassionate grounds? No chance.

[happyas]

28 minutes ago, chrissables said:

A boat licence is required. But being able to pilot a boat and ride a jetski are two different things. The fact is there is no jetski licence, where you have to prove you ability to ride a jetski.

Yes, i agree and well know that there is a big differnce between a boat and a jetski, the point i was making is here from previous post of mine;

A boat captains licence is required, and if this was enforced very few people would be able to rent a jetski.

So, if the existing law was simply enforced, very very few people would be hiring jetskis in the first place.

We are both in full agreement though on the fact that common sense or rather the lack of is the main contributing factor in most deaths and or injuries re; jetskis/motorbikes.

Edited February 6, 2017 by happyas

[Ace of Pop]

They were young, sad waste,no license ,rules,bits of bloody paper stop you being young,most of us are lucky to be here if we think back.We were aware of dangers but we pushed our luck


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[RareDingo]

2 hours ago, Thechook said:

On Australian news.  Absolute tragedy and she was so young and beautiful.  There should be a law that you must posses a licence to hire a jet ski,  motor bike etc.  I know you must have on in Australia but I guess that money comes before lives in Thailand.

 

Sadly, I think we already live in a world with more laws than you can shake a stick at.  I'd like to see less laws.  It's one thing I like about coming here to Thailand.  Common sense is the law that should prevail.  Laws in Australia are "over the top" IMHO.  This is a tragic story of misadventure and no laws governing the use of Jet Ski's would have stopped this.  However introducing laws will just put more red tap and hurdles to jump over to do something simple and have fun.  I've been riding motorbikes since I was 17 years old.  Thankfully I'm still alive today and I can tell you that having a license to ride a bike is not going to save anyone's life.  Nor are speed limits.  Common sense and good safe riding is what will keep you safe.  RIP young lady, died doing something you loved while with someone you loved.  

[Thian]

Jetski's cause a lot of problems, just BAN them out of the whole country....they can use a waterbicycle...no noise and much better.

[Phuketboy]

It's a sad story indeed and RIP to the young woman.  Having a licence to operate a jetski is an over regulation (even though yes, I have one plus a boat licence as well).  I have been riding jetski's both sit down and standup since I was 10.  I raced jetski's since the age of 18 and did so for many years.  If people rode properly, kept a safe distance and didn't play stupid games out on the water then it's virtually impossible to collide. We are taking about the open water, not a street or laneway where there are traffic is congested and travelling in both directions.  There is plenty of room to stay clear of other vessels.  

Stay safe out on the water people.  

Edited February 6, 2017 by Phuketboy

[Blackheart1916]

• Copied directly form the Australian DFAT website right now:
• "Be aware of the risks of hiring jet skis and motorcycles. Australian travellers continue to report harassment and threats of violence by jet ski operators on beaches across Thailand, and particularly in Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. You may be detained and arrested by police following jet ski and motorcycle accidents until compensation, often in thousands of dollars, can be negotiated between parties. Check your insurance cover if you intend to ride a motorcycle in Thailand when you are not licensed to ride one in Australia."
• Smart Traveller is one place where I never look, it's a big bad world out there and you would never leave your house if you followed DFAT advice. However, for those who want to look, it's all there on the website. After 35 years of riding and sometimes racing dirt bikes, I still always wear a helmet even in Thailand on my 150cc scooter. If you don't know how to operate something safely, don't. Simple.

[rainyday45]

The fundamental problem is in fact the Western world's insistence on 'safety by regulation' and the 'drive to make the World 'safe'.

What that has done is to reduce people's 'risk awareness' sense.'

 

'Risk awareness' protects us when we move into an 'unknown' place. In simple terms it makes you think 'what might get me/what can go wrong'.

Reduce or even remove 'risk awareness'  immediately places people at risk in a new environment.

 

What 'over regulation' achieves is to make people think 'if I am allowed to do it, it must be safe. If it wasn't safe I wouldn't be allowed to do it.

 

The World is a dangerous place.

 

Final point, whilst at a Flying Club I went to the toilet and when I was washing my hands I looked at the mirror and there in bold letters were the words 'You are looking at the person responsible  for your safety'.

 

Point taken.

[ripstanley]

1 hour ago, eggers said:

DFAT should have a warning on it's Smart Traveller posts advising tourist to avoid using jet skis & motor bikes due high level of physical danger & lack of insurance cover for use jet skis & motor bikes.  

This was in the link attached to post #2

 

The Australian government's smartraveller.gov.au website states that "there have been many serious accidents involving jet skis and motorcycles in Thailand". 

"Foreigners are regularly detained and arrested by police following jet ski and motorcycle accidents until compensation, often thousands of dollars, can be negotiated between parties," the website notes. 

The website also warns of jet-ski scams and improper insurance.

"Australian travellers continue to report harassment and threats of violence by jet-ski operators on tourist beaches, particularly in Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan," it states. 

 

[madmitch]

You missed the fact that according to the Phuket News, the girl was pronounced dead on arrival at Chalong Hospital, which isn't even built yet!

 

This perhaps explains the lack of jet skis on Karon Beach when I visited around 5:30 yesterday.

 

Sad incident; unnecessary incident for which no Thais will take any responsibility whatsoever, despite the operators, the local municipality, the Phuket marine police and ultimately the Government all being partially culpable. 

[jollyhangmon]

2 hours ago, cocorico2558 said:

Hope they check up if it was not intentionally and surprised nobody raised it yet. If a farang with thai wife dies the comments are very different....

Seriously?

That's a flawed theory, they simply weren't old enough, better yet possibly married long enough to go for that - otherwise sometimes pretty understandable - 'solution' imho.

 

Plus, well, getting rid of your chick ramming her whilst she's on another jetski? Fat chance of that working out when you really 'need' it.
Doubt even an Aussie would come up with such a plot ... 

[ICECOOL]

Unfortunately people often leave common sense behind when they go on holidays. Riding motorbikes on Thai roads which are among the most dangerous and hiring jetskis from scammers who have no interest in running a safe business are just some examples.

[Shroud]

Very sad.. so sad. Rest in peace

[DekDaeng]

1 hour ago, Don Mega said:

As common sense is lacking these days should DFAT hold a persons hand whilst they go to the toilet as there is chance one my slip on a wet floor ?.

Possibly. There is a much higher chance of wet bathroom floors in Asia. 

 

The 'drowned bathroom' i.e. the entire bathroom is the shower recess - is virtually unknown in Australia.

[DekDaeng]

1 hour ago, SS1 said:

You definitely don't need a licence for a jet ski.. even a 6 year old can ride one. They should just have a proper training session beforehand with clear rules to keep a certain distance from others.

 

What I observed from a little more developed country (Croatia) where I was allowed to ride one at 10 years old, was that they had a remote control system that could be used to shut the engine in a second from the beach. So if you went too far, too near to the beach or too near to others they would shut the engine as a warning. You would restart and then continue, if you keep messing around they would shut the engine and come bring you back. 

Good idea.

[gk10002000]

3 hours ago, Thechook said:

On Australian news.  Absolute tragedy and she was so young and beautiful.  There should be a law that you must posses a licence to hire a jet ski,  motor bike etc.  I know you must have on in Australia but I guess that money comes before lives in Thailand.

Somewhat related i am very positive that most standard travel insurance policies will NOT cover such an accident unless additional riders or coverage was selected. Jet skis, motorcycles, quadcycles etc. are considered dangerous.

[Docno]

3 hours ago, Thechook said:

On Australian news.  Absolute tragedy and she was so young and beautiful.  There should be a law that you must posses a licence to hire a jet ski,  motor bike etc.  I know you must have on in Australia but I guess that money comes before lives in Thailand.

Have hired a jetski in Florida before without needing to show a license, so I guess the same can be said of the US. The thing doesn't require a PhD to operate. Staying alive on one is simply a case of having some judgment and not being stupid. No license will guarantee that,...

[darhut]

1 hour ago, SS1 said:

You definitely don't need a licence for a jet ski.. even a 6 year old can ride one. They should just have a proper training session beforehand with clear rules to keep a certain distance from others.

 

What I observed from a little more developed country (Croatia) where I was allowed to ride one at 10 years old, was that they had a remote control system that could be used to shut the engine in a second from the beach. So if you went too far, too near to the beach or too near to others they would shut the engine as a warning. You would restart and then continue, if you keep messing around they would shut the engine and come bring you back. 

Legally you definitely do need a licence to operate a jetski in Thailand obviously this is never enforced, it is a boat licence. In Australia it is a separate licence known as a PWCL (personal watercraft licence), it involves practical, written and safety aspects to obtain. Maybe Croatia needs a little more developing.

[Sooo Upto Me]

2 hours ago, chrissables said:

There is no such thing as a jetski licence in Thailand.

 

There's  no such thing as a Licence in Thailand. ?

[SOTIRIOS]

...gotta hope it wasn't due to 'a rigged device'....as is often suggested when hapless foreigners crash these thing...

 

...any investigation/examination of the machine.....???

 

...too easy to say 'riding at speed'......

 

...like many other 'write-off incidents'.....

 

...not every foreigner that comes to Thailand is 'possessed by reckless abandon'....or....'has a death wish'.....

[Mansell]

I have seen these accidents on lakes in the USA. What usually happens is that the riders do not look behind themselves before executing a tight turn. The other jetskier is racing up on one side of them and cannot react quick enough, and BANG. If they are lucky they are not badly injured....sadly in this case it ended badly.

[Jeremy50]

Tragic. Just ban them, they make a terrible noise, and are dangerous to both the users, and to swimmers.

[Old Croc]

Many posters here think that safety is completely in the hands of the individual taking the risk.

Fair enough in many ways, but there still has to be a certain level of care, instruction and safety rules taken on by the vendors and the Authority in charge of the marine environment. There is none.

The Marine Authorities, and local mayors, allow jet ski operators here to virtually operate where and how they like. This includes on crowded swimming beaches and in pristine marine environments on previously untouched beaches and surrounding islands. I don't need to talk about brown envelopes nor nepotism for people to understand reasons. 

There have been a number of avoidable accidents on the water around Phuket over the years. A speed boat towing parasailers chopping up bathers in a swimming zone and two honeymooners killed on a jet ski at Patong when they drove at high speed between the hulls of a catamaran are just two that come to mind. No one answered to the courts for those incidents. 

It's a cop-out to state that safety is entirely in the hands of the consumer. Just as on the roads, there needs to be rules and dedicated areas to enjoy water sports.

Edited February 6, 2017 by Old Croc