Phuket Marine Police conduct boat safety raids

PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office conducted safety inspections of speedboats, dive boats and other vessels geared toward tourism at Chalong Pier yesterday.

“It is our responsibility to continually check on the boats and strictly enforce regulations to ensure the safety of passengers,” Chatchai Sakdee of the Phuket Marine Police said.

Police confirmed that the boats were not carrying more than the maximum capacity of passengers, were being serviced regularly and had enough life jackets available for everyone on board.

“Our checks may not guarantee that no accidents occur when the boats take off, but at least the crew is aware that we are keeping an eye on them,” Lt Col Chatchai told the Phuket Gazette.

“We do not want anyone breaking any safety regulations. This can help prevent future accidents.”

Chalong Pier is a major jump-off point for tourists boarding boats to other islands along the Andaman Coast, so police believe that frequent inspections will also make tourists feel more confident about the trips they take.

“Tourists feel safe when they see police monitoring the boats and crews. They can be confident that they will have a fun, safe trip. It will make them think positively about Phuket,” Col Chatchai said.

— Chutharat Plerin