The 17 illegal jet-skis were found operating from Laem Nga in Ratsada, north of Phuket Town, and providing services at Koh Mali and Koh Pae, off Phuket’s east coast.
The “inspection” was conducted at 9am, with a host of senior Phuket marine officials taking part, including Phuket Marine Chief Natchapong Pranit and Prawet Suphachai, Director of the Marine Department Region 5 branch
A Marine Police boat was used to patrol the area, the report said.
Officers discovered 17 jet-skis operating without valid licenses, a violation of Section 9 of the Thai Navigation Act B.E. 2481, amended by Section 60 (No. 14) B.E. 2535. The law stipulates a fine of up to 10,000 baht per offense, said the report.
The operators were charged and fined the maximum penalty of B10,000 per jet-ski, the report added.
The operators were also instructed to cease using the jet-skis for tourist services until they complied with legal requirements.
In the repeated announcements marking the crackdown, the Phuket Marine Office has noted, “The Phuket Regional Marine Office is conducting strict inspections of illegal jet-skis being used for tourist services. All violations will result in legal action to ensure public and tourist safety.
Mr Natchapong stated, “The Marine Department has partnered with local administrative agencies and deployed a special task force from the Region 5 office to target unregistered jet skis.
“The inspections are particularly crucial during the high season, when the influx of tourists engaging in water activities creates opportunities for some operators to violate the law, posing risks to public and tourist safety.
“To address this, combined teams from local administration and related agencies are inspecting every pier to prevent and suppress illegal operations.”
Also repeatedly noted is that the crackdown follows instructions from the Phuket Governor, Sophon Suwannarat.
See also:
Crackdown finds more illegal jet-skis