Safety first for Andaman seamen

AO MAKHAM: In a bid to raise the standards of maritime skills in the waters of the Andaman, the Phuket Mariners’ Association (PMA) is holding a safety training course for Thai commercial seafarers. The 11-day training course, held at Rassada Deep Sea Port, began on Saturday and is a combined initiative of the PMA, Raja Maritime School and the Chayopas Foundation. The course aims to provide training in four areas: fire prevention and firefighting; personal safety and social responsibility; personal survival techniques; and first aid. Each component of the course is certificated, and mariners must successfully pass all four sections or they will fail the course completely. Cdr Jamnong Kament-ketkarn, a member of the PMA, told the Gazette, “This training course, and others to follow, are open to all [Thai] mariners – whether they are involved in tourism or the regular merchant navy – from Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and other local provinces. Although the certificate is valid only in Thai territorial waters, the training meets the standards set by the International Organization for Standardization, better known as ISO, and the International Maritime Organization – a United Nations agency. “The training will develop the maritime skills and safety standards of Thai mariners. This is especially valuable for the tourism industry,” Cdr Jamnong said.