They also decided to set up a tour boat association – essentially a cartel – to improve safety and service and get rid of dangerous price cutting.
More than 100 boat operators attended the packed meeting at the Phuket Marine Office – 60 were expected – after red flags were raised for the first time on Saturday and yesterday (November 8 and 9), forbidding boats from going out to sea.
Phuket Marine Chief, Phuriphat Teerakulpisut, said, “If it had not been necessary, I would not have announced it. Last night I got a lot of phone calls from you asking about this. My phone was red hot.
“But I don’t mind because receiving a lot of phone calls is better than rather worrying about tourists’ lives when boats leave shore in bad weather
“I would like to repeat that the Governor [Nisit Jansomwong] approved the establishment of a committee to make decisions about boats leaving shore in dangerous weather,” he said.
One boat operator, Krissada Pichetpongsanon, owner of Andavaree Co, asked that the distance a boat intended to go should be taken into consideration.
“For example, from Chalong Pier to Koh Lone is not far. I think officials should allow boats to go short distances [in poor weather],” he said.
Mr Phuriphat answered that in the future, he will be more specific about areas where the prohibition applies and give more detail about the red flag warning will be given.
“For example, from Yacht Haven to Phang Nga Bay might show a green flag while all the other piers for boats going to the Bay might have red flags,” he added.
One of boat operators urged Mr Phuriphat to announce the red flag days two or three days in advance, and not to change the decision even if the weather improves.
“If you announce that there will be a red flag on such and such a date [for a particular route], then we will not sell packages [on that route] to customers. We can offer alternative packages instead,” he said.
With no one opposing this idea, Mr Phuriphat said it would be done.
He then turned to other matters relating to safety.
“I have heard about some boat crew members being drug addicts. I beg you all not to hire them, even if you have no choice. It’s central to our tourism image,” Mr Phuriphat said.
On a matter of clarity, he said: “The wording on the side of each boat must be changed from the current “Passenger 30+3” [for example] to two lines; “Passenger number 30 persons” and “Boat crew 3 persons.”
On boat construction: “Boats with plywood hulls will not have their licenses extended. Only solid wood will be allowed because it is stronger and harder to crack.”
Mr Phuriphat also urged boat operators to set up a club or association to improve coordination and improve service quality.
“An association should be set up. This will help boat operators to communicate with each other, sometime sharing customers and improving the quality of service, instead of of always competing on price,” he suggested.
Mr Krissada replied that moves were already being made in this direction and he invited all present to attend the inaugural meeting of a proposed Andaman Tourism Association (ATA) on Wednesday (November 12).
Another operator commented, “After this [is set up], we will no longer have price competition.”
He added, “I would also like the Marine Office to enforce Tourism and Guide Act 2008 section 24, in which it is written that boat operators must not do anything that damages the tour industry. The penalty for contravening this is a B50,000 fine.”
Mr Phuriphat committed himself to enforcing this law, and also gave his own considerable push to the fledgling ATA, saying that any boat operators who do not provide documentation showing membership of ATA will not get their boat licenses renewed.