Parasail staffers accompanying tourists on rides must be clipped on with a safety harness in order to legally operate, Phuket Marine Chief Natchapong Pranit confirmed to The Phuket News today (Jan 14).
Mr Natchapong confirmed the safety protocol, which he said was already a standard requirement for years, following the death of 31-year-old parasail staffer Pathompong Sukduang at Karon Beach on Jan 5.
However, the news spread widely across local social media channels only after a video of Mr Pathompong plunging to his death was posted on Instagram by ‘@PHUKETINSTA’ on Friday (Jan 10).
Local news platforms quickly shared the video, often branding the video with their own logos and imagery.
Mr Natchapong told The Phuket News it is estimated that Mr Pathompong fell “about 200 feet” before hitting the water, in plain view of tourists on the beach.
The video shows the rope to the parasail, which was still carrying the tourist, being cut immediately after Mr Pathompong hit the water. The speedboat then heads off quickly to assist the tourist, who was safely recovered.
The parasail operator, who Mr Natchapong named only as ‘Mr Tone’, was suspended from operating immediately after Mr Pathompong’s death, and his boat, ‘Pleng Pleng’, was also suspended from providing any tourist services, he added.
The suspension will remain in place until a full investigation of the incident has been completed, Mr Natchapong assured.
“When I visited the scene [on Sunday, Jan 12], I observed that the issue in this incident was having only one person operating the parasail. According to the law, there must be two licensed operators managing it,” Mr Nachapong said.
“The boat must have a team of three people: one for driving and two for managing the parasail. By law, this offense is punishable with up to six months of imprisonment under criminal law,” he added.
“However, Karon Police suspects drug use may have been a factor, which is why they are requesting evidence to determine if Mr Pathompong had consumed drugs,” Mr Natchapong also noted.
“They are also conducting checks on everyone who was aboard the boat and involved in controlling the parasail,” he said.
An urgent meeting was held on Monday (Jan 13) to address safety issues and review the circumstances that led to Mr Pathompong’s death.
The meeting included representatives from Karon Police, Phuket Tourist Police, the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, the Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office and Karon Municipality, with the Phuket Marine Office serving as the primary host, Mr Natchapong explained.
Local officials and law enforcement started reviewing both short-term and long-term plans to enhance safety for parasailing, jet-skiing and other beach activities.on Tuesday (Jan 14), he added.
“Our short-term plan is to hold a seminar and provide training for all operators on safety protocols, parasailing safety measures and the prohibition of drug use among workers. This will also verify license holders and offer additional training,” he said.
“For the long-term plan, the focus will be on inspecting and upgrading boats to meet safety standards, including ensuring that all safety equipment is in place. Additionally, all operators will undergo rehearsals and training to ensure proficiency before offering services,” Mr Natchapong concluded.
CHARGES
Karon Police Chief Pol Col Khundet Na Nongkhai told The Phuket News that the parasail operator at this stage is facing a charge of negligence causing death.
“The incident occurred at about 5:30pm. Mr Pathompong was holding on with his hands and used his legs to hook onto the tourist, which is a position that requires a lot of force.
“Then Mr Pathompong lost his grip and fell into the sea. The boat driver recovered him from the water and he was rushed to Patong Hospital, where he was pronounced dead,” he added.
While police are still waiting for the results of drug tests on Mr Pathompong’s remains before formally pressing charges, the medical examiner confirmed that Mr Pathompong died on impact with the water, Pol Col Na Nongkhai said.
“I have assigned a team to investigate the incident. Now we are collecting more evidence and waiting for the medical report to be issued.
“Charges will be filed against the business owner involved. The main charge that we are considering at this time is negligence causing death,” he assured.