This Friday (July 5) marks the first anniversary of the Phoenix catastrophe, in which the tour boat capsized and sank in a storm squall off Koh Hei (Coral Island), southeast of Phuket.
“There will be no public event because it is an accident that no one wanted to happen,” said Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana in a news release issued by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department today (July 2). (See report here.)
Governor Phakaphong instead highlighted the efforts by Thai authorities, including the police, to invetigate the accident and improve marine safety for tourists.
“The case is now in the hands of the Royal Thai Police, and we continue to monitor the legal progress by the Royal Thai Police, who have taken control as the chief investigative officer in the proceedings in order to build confidence for the Chinese government,” he said.
“Also to demonstrate our sincerity that the Thai government has taken this matter seriously and decisively, the case has more than 100 witnesses and [the Royal Thai Police] is now in the process of interrogating all witnesses,” Gov Phakaphong said, according to the release.
“As for the release of information, it is the duty of the Royal Thai Police to take control of the investigation and prosecution,” he added.
Governor Phakaphong said that the Chinese government and Chinese tourists now had more confidence in the safety of tourism in Phuket “because the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Phuket has increased steadily after the incident”.
“There are serious measures emphasizing the importance of safety for tourists, especially in marine tourism,” the Governor explained.
“There are staff at every port, especially at checkpoints before tourists board the boat. The staff must strictly count the number of people and tourists who board the boat. They also have to check the condition of the boat, the safety equipment on board which must be in a ready-to-use condition, such as life jackets. There must be a sufficient number (of life jackets),” he said.
“The port officials must be strong in enforcing safety provisions. If the safety equipment on the boat is not fit for use, the boat will not be allowed to leave the port,” the Governor assured.
“Those who providing water travel services must be repeatedly checked for alcohol and drugs in order to have the best potential to take care of tourists according to the policy ‘Safe people, Safe boats, Safe ports’,” he added.
The announcement by the Phuket Governor today follows his attendance at a publicity event on Friday (June 28) to welcome 500 Chinese tourists on successfully landing at Phuket International Airport.
The event was held to boost confidence among Chinese tourists that Phuket is a safe holiday destination.
The event was attended by Ma Fengchun, Consul General of the People's Republic of China based at Songkhla, which is the lead Chinese consular office in Southern Thailand, overseeing the affairs of the Chinese Consulate in Phuket.