Alcohol ban pondered for Phuket passenger boats

PHUKET: Phuket Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut is considering banning alcohol on all passenger boats operating out of Phuket.

The potential ban will be raised at a meeting with tour boat operators on Thursday.

The move follows Joshua Michael Devine, 36, a civilian IT operative working at a United States military base in Kuwait, disappearing from on a Similans-bound liveaboard last Saturday (story here).

“We have yet to decide whether or not to ban the serving and drinking of alcohol on passenger boats. We will see what regulations are in place on this issue,” Chief Phuripat told the Phuket Gazette this morning.

About 100 boat operators in Phuket are expected to attend the Marine Office regular meeting at the Katina Hotel in Phuket Town on Thursday afternoon.

The meeting is held monthly to discuss current regulations and to allow operators to present problems that they have.

“The decision whether or not alcohol will be banned from passenger boats is expected to be finalized on that day,” Chief Phuripat said.

— Chutharat Plerin