Jul 6, 2018

A boat carrying dozens of Chinese tourists overturned Thursday in rough seas off southern Thailand and 49 passengers were unaccounted for, an official said.

"Right now we are still looking for 49 people. We have helped 48 people from the capsized boat. We have sent boats to help," Rear Admiral Somnuk Prempramote, commander of the Royal Thai Navy Region 3, said on Thursday.


Tourists from a boat that sank are helped onto a pier from a fishing boat. Picture: AAP

Thai media showed photos of rescued people in large rubber life rafts at sea, with fishing boats and churning water in the background. The images also showed survivors being lifted from the rafts and sitting in life jackets amid ropes on the deck of what appears to be a fishing trawler.

Full https://www.9news.com.au/world/2018/07/ ... en-missing

Seems as it may be 60 dead now.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-07/t ... at/9952672

Phuket tour boat disaster: Wave of cancellations spurs damage-control offensive
14 July 2018
Top-ranking officials and the Governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) today began rolling out their campaign to limit the fallout from the Phoenix tour boat disaster which killed 47 Chinese tourists last week as fears grow over the volume of tour cancellations from mainland China.

Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong headed a meeting this morning (July 14) joined by Vice Admiral Somnuk Preampramot, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command, based at Cape Panwa, and no less than the Governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Yuthasak Supasorn.

Also present were the heads of relevant government agencies and representatives of hotel operators and tour operators.

“In the past year, 9.8 million Chinese tourists came to Thailand, generating B500 billion in tourism revenue, but now Chinese tourists are concerned about emergency rescue systems in place and there are now some cancellations into Thailand.

Mr Yuthasak pointed out that social media in China – over which the Thai Government has no control – was where the damage was done.
https://www.samuitimes.com/phuket-tour- ... offensive/

I dont understand why people died so easy?? Is it hard to swim out of the boat?? They dont know how to swim? Or the boat is pulling them down?

Arrest warrant issued for Phoenix tourist-boat owner
July 14, 2018
Arrest warrants were issued yesterday for the owner of the Phoenix tourist boat, which sank off Phuket earlier this month and caused 47 deaths. If convicted, (s)he could face up to 10 years in jail and a fine.

The Phuket Provincial Court yesterday approved arrest warrants for Woralak Rerkchaikan, 26, and the boat’s mechanic, Ornjan Kanhayotee, 56, who is already in custody.

The boat’s captain was arrested immediately after the accident on July 5.
Woralak and Ornjan have been charged with recklessly causing deaths and injuries to others.

The Phoenix, which is operated by TC Blue Dream, allegedly ventured into the sea despite warnings of rough weather conditions.
Although some tourists on board were rescued safely, 47 others drowned.

Woralak, who is married to a Chinese man, owns more than 90 per cent of shares in the firm. Authorities are examining the company’s business transactions to determine if the firm has used a Thai nominee to operate on Thai soil.

TC Blue Dream has offered Bt100,000 to the family of each deceased victim. They are also entitled to Bt1 million compensation from the Thai government and Bt1 million from insurance firms.
https://pattayaone.news/en/arrest-warra ... oat-owner/

Chinese holidaymakers are taking their tourist dollars elsewhere after ferry disaster in Thailand that killed 47 earlier this year
The Chinese make up about a quarter of Thailand’s 35 million annual visitors, but their numbers are down by up to 20 per cent year on year
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 22 November, 2018, 4:55pm
A ferry disaster that killed dozens of Chinese tourists in Thailand earlier this year has sent visitor numbers plunging from the kingdom’s single largest market.

The Chinese make up about a quarter of Thailand’s 35 million annual visitors – drawn by cheap beach holidays, renowned food and Bangkok nightlife.

But in July a ferry carrying mostly Chinese tourists back to the resort island of Phuket sank, killing 47.

August recorded an immediate dip of 12 per cent and September brought 15 per cent fewer Chinese than the same months last year.

October was the hardest hit, with the tourism ministry reporting on Wednesday a same-period decrease of about 20 per cent – or 160,000 people – from 2017. About US$476 million was lost in tourism spending over the three-month period.
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeas ... st-dollars

Serve the Thais and government right

It was a tragedy what happened to the the tourist boat. That being said, mainland Chinese tourists are the worst, so if they want to go elsewhere now, then good riddance.

When the Thai authorities are scrambling around at the last minute before high season relaxing visa retrictions they've spent the last few years tightening you know there is a problem meeting their ever increasing forecast . A local article last week had the Pattaya Hotels Association calling for government action as Chinese bookings were down 60% for the peak period. They must be praying there are no more high profile incidents negatively affecting the Chinese market. Thailand's GDP also stalled in the 3rd quarter for the first time in more than a decade, no doubt helped by the strong baht and weak tourism numbers.