Prime Minister Visits Pattaya to Inspect Marine Safety

November 6, 2013

The Prime Minister visited Pattaya to inspect and solve the many marine safety issues, after the sinking of a passenger ferry which caused 6 tourists to lose their lives. The Prime Minister also went to visit the injured victims at Pattaya Memorial hospital.

PATTAYA – November 5, 2013 [PDN]; At 2.00 p.m. , at the Siam Bay Shore hotel, south Pattaya, Tambon Nong Prue, Amphur Banglamung, Chonburi province, Ms. Yinglak Shinnawatra (the Prime Minister) together with the cabinet which consisted of Mr. Yukhol Limlaemthong (Deputy Prime Minister), Mr. Jaruphong Reuangsuwan (Minister of Interior), Mr. Chatchart Sitthiphan (Minister of Transport and Communications), Mr. Prasert Boonchaisuk (Minister of Industry), Mr. Sonthaya Khunpluem (Minister of Culture) and General Yutthasak Sasiprapha (Deputy Minister of Defence) listened to the events and the circumstances which caused a 2 storey passenger ferry to sink off Nuan beach, Koh Larn causing a total of 6 people to die including Thai and foreign tourists. The ferry was carrying 200 people with many of them injured some seriously. Mr. Khomsan Aekkachai (Chonburi provincial governor), Mr. Itthiphol Khunpluem (The Lord Mayor of Pattaya city), Mr. Sornsak Saensombat (Director-General of The Harbor Department), Pol. Lt. Gen. Kawee Suphanan (Commissioner, Section 2) welcomed the Prime Minister and the cabinet.

Mr. Khomsan Aekkachai (Chonburi provincial governor) chaired the meeting about the sea accident and said that the deceased families and the injured would be give financial help and assistance. He also explained that in the past there had been many marine accidents in Pattaya therefore related organizations are to be set up to increase security and safety measures in the marine sector 1. To improve marine regulations for well-defined zones for swimming and sailing 2. To ensure all related organizations sign the MOU agreement to solve the existing problems. 3. To improve awareness to business entrepreneurs by giving them training about the service they are providing 4. To reform the law that all water crafts are to have insurance 5. To strictly regulate marine traffic.

Mr. Sornsak Saensombat (Director-General of Harbor Department) said that Pattaya city is regarded as a tourism place with many marine activities, but the accident could cause a big impact to Pattaya tourism. However, the meeting with all of the related organizations is to set up new measures of marine safety by arranging a “Pattaya Model” which emphasizes on systematizing every type of marine activity zoning, the organizing of sailing and the decentralization to the region in order for more cooperation in regulating. However, the important thing is the lack of personnel which at present there are only 8 officers to watch over all the marine activities of thousands of yachts, so he has proposed the purchasing of 2 patrol boats with additional 24 officers with a total budget of purchasing the patrol boats of 15 million THB and the operation cost of 9 million THB per year in order to inspect and regulate the marine activities of Pattaya city more closely.

The Prime Minister thanked every sector that helped and assisted in rescuing the victims and also commands the Office of Provincial Police Section 2 to investigate the real cause of this tragedy in order to find a way to solve the problem to stop it happening again in the future. For the assistance and care of the victims, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport will provide funds to take care of foreign tourists and the Ministry of Interior will find the way to assist and take care of Thai tourists, while the problem of lacking personnel, equipment and sea security will be supported completely by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The Prime Minister will also assign officers to Chonburi province and Pattaya city to study and propose a format of decentralization from the center part to regional parts in order to make it more convenient to regulate. The Prime Minister will assign the representatives from the government to join in the meeting to specify the solutions again soon.

Ferry Disaster, – Over 100 Missing, 6-Dead

A Pattaya City passenger ferry has sunk off nearby Koh Larn Island after leaking, so all Thai rescue services are working through the night. There were 150-200 Thai and foreign tourists and with around100-passengers unaccounted for, plus 6-dead, this is the worst shipping disaster to have occurred in Thailand’s biggest tourist city