The operation was carried out yesterday morning (July 15) after Phuket Marine Office Director Adul Ralukmoon assigned marine inspectors and officers to work alongside the Marine Police in conducting land and sea inspections around Koh Siray.
Officials said all 23 offenders were found using vessels before obtaining the required boat licence, an offence under Section 9 of the Thai Maritime Navigation Act. Each was issued the maximum fine of B10,000. It was not reported whether any jet-skis were actually seized.
According to one local official report, the series of raids followed instructions from Deputy Transport Minister Sanphet Bunyamanee, a Bhumjaithai MP from Songkhla, during his weekend visit to the island late last month.
Mr Sanphet inspected some jet-ski operations, some taxi services and Chalong Pier, and pledged to “strengthen safety standards and modernise the island’s transport network to support its tourism industry”.
Phuket Marine Chief Mr Adul said his office would continue carrying out joint operations with other agencies to ensure compliance with maritime laws and create a level playing field for operators who meet legal requirements.
The latest arrests were also reported to the Phuket Provincial Committee for Consideration of Encroachments on Waterways during its second meeting of 2026, chaired by Vice Governor Romdon Hayiawae at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday.
The committee considered 13 applications for structures encroaching on waterways, including proposed piers and other waterfront developments by government agencies, local municipalities and private developers. Members said each application would be assessed for compliance with navigation laws, environmental protection measures, land-use regulations and public benefit.
The meeting also acknowledged the results of the latest jet-ski enforcement campaign as part of wider efforts to improve safety and regulate marine activities across Phuket.
This latest jet-ski ‘crackdown’ follows a series of similar enforcement campaigns in recent years.
Just earlier this year, in February, after the peak tourism season, the Phuket Marine Office announced another inspection campaign targeting illegal jet-ski operators, drawing criticism after officials publicly revealed where and when inspections would take place before they were conducted.
Recurring fines on jet-ski operators have become a source of revenue for the local office of the Marine Department. A separate operation at the end of 2024, just before the tourism high season, generated more than B720,000 in fines in less than a month.
Of note, under Thai law, operating a jet-ski without the required Helmsman Class II licence carries penalties of up to B10,000 or six months’ imprisonment.
Marine Police have previously confirmed that tourists renting jet-skis are exempt from the licensing requirement.
However, at the same time, Marine Police have confirmed that private owners caught operating their own jet-skis without the correct licence will be fined ‒ highlighting what critics have described as an inconsistency in the enforcement of the law.