Phuket Marine Office Chief Nachaphong Pranit ordered the investigation after a video was posted online showing the speedboat ‘Natthicha 555’ ploughing through large waves at speed, changing direction as if playing “chase’ with the first speedboat ‒ and with tourists on board plainly seen not wearing life jackets.
The Phuket Marine Office confirmed that the two speedboats were returning to Phuket from Phi Phi Island at about 2:30pm amid waves reaching up to three metres tall, said a report by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket).
Of note, the Phuket Marine Office itself has yet to report any action the office is taking over the incident, while the PR Phuket report focussed on the advisory issued by the Phuket Marine Office for boat operators to practice safe behaviour during the dangerous sea conditions.
The offending speedboats was identified as the ‘Natthicha 555’, which was returning to Vanich Pier in Ratsada with 11 people on board, eight of whom were passengers.
The ‘Natthicha 555’ was legally registered and the two operators on board, driver 25-year-old Chiratheep Pramongkit and mechanic 32-year-old Pichet Pramongkit, both have valid permits to operate the boat, said the report.
The other speedboat present was identified as ‘TSK 6’, which was returning to AA Pier at Laem Nga, on Koh Siray, Ratsada, east of Phuket Town. The ‘TSK 6’ had 42 tourists on board, as well as two guides and three crew members.
The boat driver, 31-year-old Rewut Phutthawong, had a valid boat operating licence, and the onboard mechanic, Khwanchai Pramongkit, 48, also held the correct valid certificate, the report added.
Marine officials had inspected the boats and found them both to be seaworthy, the report said.
All safety equipment required was on board and in functioning order, the report added.
The boat operator are now under investigation of Section 291 of the Navigation in Thai Waters Act, said the report.
Under Section 291, the Marine Office has the authority to suspend boat-related licences for up to years if “any pilot, master, navigator, boatswain, helmsman, steersman, chief engineer or engineer of a vessel who has obtained the certificate or license but becomes incompetent or behaves inappropriately for the capacity, ailing to comply with the law or regulations concerning navigation or his or her capacities”.
However, despite the evidence of the behaviour during the high seas already in hand, the report noted that the drivers of both boats were being questioned over the incident.
So far no action against the boat drivers has been confirmed.
The report by PR Phuket did not name any tour companies associated with using the two speedboats to provide tours and transport for tourists.