Ferry tragedy prompts safety call

IN THE WAKE of Sunday’s fatal ferry accident, Chon Buri Governor Comson Ekachai has demanded the Marine Department and Pattaya City boost water-transport safety and put security guards on duty on Koh Lan around the clock.
A ferry between the island and Pattaya capsized on Sunday evening, throwing its more than 200 Thai and foreign passengers overboard, before sinking. Six people died and 24 were injured.
As of press time, 10 were still receiving treatment at hospitals in Chon Buri.
Under an insurance policy taken out by the ferry owner, the financial compensation per death is up to Bt300,000, and medical coverage per victim is up to Bt115,000.
Ferry captain Samarn Khwanmueang, 48, turned himself in to police. He said the ferry hit submerged rocks.
Police have charged Samarn with recklessness leading to the deaths and severe injury of passengers. They say preliminary lab tests indicate Samarn might have abused drugs before the accident.
Comson yesterday demanded that both the Marine Department and Pattaya City take concrete measures to boost water-transport safety.
“If anything [bad] happens, someone must take responsibility,” he said.
Chon Buri Police chief Maj-General Katcha Tatusas pointed the finger at ferry operator Koh Lan Travel for failing to properly check the boat’s emergency preparedness.
According to some witnesses, pumps on the ferry did not function when the crew tried to drain seawater from the damaged vessel.
“The ferry also clearly took on more passengers than its maximum capacity,” Katcha said.
Marine Department director-general Sorasak Saensombat said an investigation was ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident. He believed that the excessive number of passengers on the ferry and the limited safety equipment were among the likely causes of the loss of life.
The Marine Department convened a meeting of Pattaya-based ferry operators yesterday to press for strict compliance with safety regulations and to boost tourists’ confidence in ferry and other boat services.
In addition to the charges the ferry captain faces, Sorasak said authorities had already suspended his licence for six months. “We are in the process of considering whether we should cancel the licence of the involved ferry operator too,” Sorasak said.
Pattaya City Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome said that all the passengers and crew on board the boat were accounted for.