On Saturday, January 20, a meeting of the governors of the provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi was held on the island of Phi Phi Don, dedicated to issues of safety in maritime transport. Together with the governors, representatives of relevant departments took part in the meeting, including The Department of Emergency Management and the Marine Police, The Phuket news reports.
The issue has returned to the agenda after a series of incidents involving tourist boats. On January 14, a boat carrying tourists caught fire in Phang Nga Bay, and a few days later, two boats collided off the coast of Phuket.
"I want all departments involved to strictly check the condition of the boats, as well as the condition of the people operating them, before going to sea. If something is not ready to 100%, the boat should not go to sea," Krabi Police Chief Major General Boonthavi Thoraksa said.
During the meeting Governor of Krabi Aphinan Phukpong announced a plan to improve the safety of maritime transport in the waters of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi.
Here are the proposed plan points:
To integrate all information flows in the tourism and marine transport sectors in Phuket, Krabi and Phangan provinces. Tour operators must provide all information to the Digital Economy Promotion Agency for uploading to the Marine Tourism Centre website.
Introduce identification bracelets to track the location of passengers and ships.
Improve the general condition of the piers and the video surveillance system on them.
Establish boat inspection centres at Phi Phi and other major piers to check all vessels before departure.
Thoroughly check tour operators, revoking licenses if violations are found.
Test ship captains and crew members for alcohol and drugs.
Create a special rapid response service with the necessary equipment to provide prompt assistance in the event of an incident.
Organize a system of mooring boats at the Phi Phi Islands so that it does not pose a threat to tourists and the environment. Remind captains to stick to the approved route while sailing.
Organize a training center to increase the level of safety awareness among captains and their crew members and to inform them of the responsibility for violating safety requirements.
Discuss the progress of implementing the above plan items at the next meeting.
Source: trn-news.ru
