Pattaya Sea Walker accident prompts police dive into safety checks

An unfortunate incident involving an Indian tourist prompted the Pattaya Tourist Police to inspect a Sea Walker business, a popular water activity in the area.

The tourist suffered severe injuries while participating in the Sea Walker experience and needed urgent medical care at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital.

The Sea Walker activity involves participants wearing helmets that supply air while they explore the seabed in the shallow waters of the Pattaya Gulf. This incident has led to increased scrutiny of the businesses offering such experiences.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Piyaphong Ensarn, along with Pol. Lt. Col. Suparat Meepreecha and Pol. Lt. Col. Apichart Jarurak, spearheaded the investigation. Their team examined two boats associated with the Sea Walker business: the Marine Diving Service paddle boat and the Kong Samut 8 boat. Both vessels were operating near the Koh Sak area in Chon Buri province.

The inspection revealed that the Marine Diving Service paddle boats had valid licences. However, police discovered eight foreign workers onboard. Further checks determined that six of these workers were Cambodians who had illegally entered Thailand and lacked the necessary work permits or visas. The Tourist Police subsequently detained these six individuals for legal proceedings.

In contrast, the Kong Samut 8 boat was found to have all the proper documentation and employed only Thai workers.

Police stressed the importance of tourist safety awareness, noting that incidents like this can greatly affect the local tourism industry.

At the time of this report, the injured Indian tourist remains in serious condition at the local hospital and is reliant on a breathing machine. Police have withheld specific details of the accident and the tourist’s name, citing an ongoing investigation, reported Pattaya News.

In related news, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has revised its target for Indian tourist arrivals from 2.3 to 2.4 million this year, driven by the recently introduced visa-free policy for Indian nationals. This visa waiver programme, which allows 60-day visa-free stays, extends to citizens of 93 countries and will last until November 2024.