Ferry routes resume operation in Surat Thani after storms

After all boats in Surat Thani were cancelled on Monday due to storms, with partial service resuming yesterday, Ferry routes are in full service today – though scrambling and late. In addition to the ferries that had been running before the fierce and windy storms shut everything down, Seatran Ferry has relaunched its service to Koh Phangan from the mainland and Koh Samui. Seatran had reduced its routes to only Koh Samui – Donsak (the port of Surat Thani mainland) throughout Covid-19.

Some routes ran yesterday, mostly from the mainland to the islands and, though travel between Samui and Phangan on Raja Ferry was cancelled, Lomprayah and the Haad Rin Queen still operated. Smaller vessels like fishing boats were advised to stay off the open waters until 5am today due to the high winds that created powerful waves and currents and choppy waters.

Monday’s order called for a complete stop for any bats to leave the shore in all districts of Surat Thani all along the Gulf of Thailand, by order of the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office. The ban was from Monday 2pm until 5am yesterday.

After a strong wind wave warning from the Meteorological Department for the gulf, smaller boats were ordered not to leave shore from 1pm yesterday until 5am today. Only boats over 24 metres long or over 200 gross tonnes were allowed to travel.

Now ferry schedules have resumed with Raja Ferry, Haad Rin Queen, Lomprayah, and Seatran operating routes between the mainland and the islands. But ports are a bit chaotic after the closures. This morning’s Raja Ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan was delayed by over an hour.

A boat unloading at Samui was spotted as a Makro large shipping truck was unable to drive off the boat with its cargo box lifting precariously off the truck bed. Staff and onlookers scrambled to help while traffic backed up waiting to board boats off of Samui.

The next few days of ferries will likely be hectic and sold out as the 5-day holiday starts and boats and people are playing catch-up from the previous closures. Anyone wishing to travel is advised to book now.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post