Deputy Prime Minister Prawit has come under heavy fire for his criticism of Chinese tour operators after the Phuket disaster that killed more than 44 Chinese. He apologized on Tuesday for his harsh criticism of Chinese tour operators. Prawit blamed them for the disaster.
On Monday, Prawit said he believes some Chinese companies, which employ Thai workers, have not heeded the bad weather warnings and are therefore to blame for the disaster. His comments sparked outrage on social media in China. According to Prawit, the criticism of his statements does not come from the Chinese government, but only from social media users.
The Phoenix boat capsized just outside Phuket last Thursday with 101 people on board (89 tourists, all but two from China and 12 crew members).
The investigation into the background of the disaster has now started. A police force has raided suspected tour operators run or associated with foreigners at various locations in Phuket. These would be TC Blue Dream Ltd and Lazy Cat Travel Ltd. TC Blue Dream Ltd is linked to the Phoenix tour boat, while Lazy Cat Travel is associated with the Sereniga yacht that also sank. All crew and passengers were rescued.
Police spokesman Surachate said a large number of documents have been seized and it appears that the companies are also involved in so-called zero-dollar tour scams.
Source: Bangkok Post
And again the Thai government is looking for a foreign dog to beat with the stick.
The fundamental question is and remains, of course, whether this boat was seaworthy, what the condition of the life-saving equipment was, etc. As long as the Thai government does not set strict requirements for seaworthiness, linked to inspections and certificates, it is primarily responsible for these kinds of disasters.
As a former sailor, after 10 years in Thailand, I can tell you that the average seaworthiness of the ships is very bad. I therefore canceled trips at the last minute a few times because I did not trust the boat enough. Even the ferry to Koh Chang is completely unreliable in stronger winds (from wind force 6), and that is a shallow water of 8 km wide.
Speedboats whose plywood bottom shatters with too few life jackets on board, smaller wooden freighters that take passengers and work in such a way that despite full pumping, the ship arrives half-sunk… The list is endless.
The waterline of the ferries in Asia is usually 10 to 15 cm higher than with European ferries, if used European boats are bought, the waterline is raised. many accidents from there
in Asia.
Well,
The boat Phoenix did not capsize, but was flooded from behind by a high wave.
The boat had a low back to facilitate diving, but the designers “forgot” that waves can also come from behind. In other words, the ship was not seaworthy at all.
Well, this is Thailand
Must have been a Chinese, Cambodian or Myanmar boat builder then, there is no other way! :-0
Nihau to TIT I would say! Why take responsibility when someone else can just as easily be blamed … Reminds me of a Putinkje regarding MH17 … “why is a plane flying over a country that I want to annex?!?”
And primarily, of course, terrible for the Chinese victims and relatives!
Let the Thai government first look for the blame with themselves.
Why do the police only raid after the accident and not before?
Come on, or didn't they know that.
I see it every day , Logan harvest season has arrived again here in my area .
And what do I see here on the road every day, pick-up trucks with two floors made of bamboo and tied together scaffolding rope.
And two layers full of Burmese pickers , you could fill an entire coach with them . And mounted a few 8 to 10 meter long bamboo ladders on top.
And did you think that the driver of the pickup drives slowly , no leaning over with the whole mess through the bend .
And don't ask me how many of those sleeping police boxes along the road they have passed by now.
The next major disaster is already in the making .
But remember in this case as it deals with Burmese and no foreign tourists it will be met with a very short news flash.
Jan Beute.
Jan Beute.
Rules are enough. Now to maintain it.
Formulating/acting politically cleverly is also a profession. And you don't get that in your military training.......