13 western tourists are injured in boat collision in Phang-nga
Three western tourists were hospitalized and 10 others sustained minor injuries when their tour boat collided with another tour boat in the Andaman Sea between Khao Pingkan and Koh Thaloo in the Ao Phang-nga national park on Monday afternoon.
The Wararat boat which carried 15 tourists, including 11 Norwegians and four Belgians, three crew members, including the skipper and a guide was leaving Khao Pingkan for Koh Panyee for lunch when it was crashed by another boat carrying Chinese tourists.
The force of the collision damaged the Wararat boat and caused it to capsize as all its passengers and the crew members were thrown into the sea.
Upon receiving a call for help, the park chief, Mr Sarayuth Tanthien, led three speed boats and rescue workers from Po Tham and Wat Gao Charoentham foundations to the scene of the accident.
They managed to pluck all the tourists, the guide and the three crews from the sea and then rushed all the injured to Phang-nga provincial hospital. Three tourists who sustained serious injuries were admitted for treatment while the rest who suffered scratches were administered first aid treatment.
Subsequent investigation showed that neither the two boats had operating licenses. They were fined 500 baht each by the park.
Pol Lt-Col Somkid Khaosang, the deputy superintendent of Takua Thung district police, said he would summon the skippers of the two boats for questioning before filing charges against them.
Sarayuth, meanwhile, blamed careless of the two skippers and strong wind for the accident. He, however, said he might apply the PP model in Ao Phang-nga national park to require all tourist boats entering the park to register with the park’s office.
13 western tourists are injured in boat collision in Phang-nga - Thai PBS English News
