kamui Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 STORM DAMAGE: Capsized ferry leaves 10 dead Published on March 06, 2005 The Nation Several others seriously injured as heavy rains lash South; Patong Beach ?Rak Andaman? festival breaks up in panic A ferry carrying 70 passengers yesterday capsized off the southern island resort of Phuket, killing at least 10 people on board, following an abrupt climate change and heavy rainstorms. Panic also gripped residents and foreign tourists on the island attending a festival on Patong Beach. The event was being held to revive the tourism industry following the devastating tsunami on December 26. Vichian Mat-raksa of Koh Yao Hospital, in the nearby province of Phang Nga, said 37 people had been taken to hospital. Nine were in a serious condition and had to be air-lifted by Navy helicopter to the better-equipped Vatchira Phuket Hospital. The Meteorological Department, which had earlier issued a weather warning, said yesterday that more thunderstorms and strong winds were expected to hit the South. Survivors said the Rung Roj ferry capsized during a crossing from Bang Rong Pier in Phuket to Koh Yao in Phang Nga. Prasert Nonsee, 45, one of the survivors, told The Nation he was on his way back from visiting relatives who were affected by last year?s tsunami. ?When the ferry was halfway between Phuket and Phang Nga, thunderstorms struck. Waves were very high,? he said. Other survivors said the waves were up to three metres high. The Navy scrambled two ships and a helicopter to pick up survivors. A rescue team and expert divers from the Marine Police also took part in the rescue mission. Meanwhile, at Patong Beach in Phuket, strong winds collapsed the outdoor stage constructed for the Phuket beach festival, part of the ?Rak Andaman? (Love Andaman) campaign to revitalise tourism in southern Thailand, which was earlier ravaged by the tsunami. Supreme Commander General Chaisit Shinnawatra was handing out awards to volunteer divers involved in the post-tsunami clean-up operation when rainstorms struck. The festival has now been postponed. Meanwhile, in the southern province of Chumphon, two fishing boats capsized but no casualties were reported. Weather officials said low pressure coming down from China was responsible for the abrupt climate changes and asked fishermen to stay away from the sea. The weather has sent the mercury plunging around the country. In Chiang Mai, the average temperature during the day dropped from 37 degrees to 27 degrees Celsius. Bangkok also experienced a cold spell. The Nation Phuket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krml Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 God, literally when it rains it pours. It seems like Thailand can't win lately with the weather. The northeast is looking at a severe drought and the south is getting a lot of rain. The north is experiencing cold weather. What else could happen? Is it going to snow in BKK next? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 It was *kinda* cold last night... Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CondomKing Posted March 7, 2005 Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 What a mess, the only good news is that these events didn't get international coverage. At least, I don't think they did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted March 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 79 squeezed into ferry meant for 22 Confirmed death toll 8, with 12 missing BKK Post ACHADTAYA CHUENNIRAN Phuket _ The ferry boat that sank in a heavy storm near Koh Yao Noi on Saturday was heavily overloaded, with at least 79 people on board while it was licensed to hold only 22 passengers, Phangnga governor Anuwat Maytheevibulwut said yesterday. Mr Anuwat said the actual number of people known to have died was eight, not 10 as previously reported. The bodies of six drowned passengers were plucked from the sea on Saturday. They were Panyaporn Songkaew, Prayoon Sudensun, Pissamai Srisamut, Bupphaphan Chanrak, Jaree Mukhura, and Pongrat Thammasri. All except Prayoon were female. Two others whose bodies were found with the wreck of the boat yesterday were six-year-old girl Intira Nakkham and her four-year-old brother Thanapol. Fifty-nine passengers survived the accident. Two were earlier reported to Koh Yao police station as missing. The rest were still unaccounted for, the governor said. Mr Anuwat said the boat made five trips a day between Phuket and Koh Yao Noi. The boat was making the last return trip on Saturday when it ran into a heavy storm and capsized in rough seas. Since it was the last trip, the boat was packed with many more passengers than usual. It was also carrying two motorcycles and a large quantity of construction materials and other articles. Dol Roengsamut, owner and operator of the passenger boat Rungroj, reported to Koh Yao police on Saturday night. He said most passengers were cousins and acquaintances and he could not refuse to let them board. The navy and marine police yesterday sent about 10 boats to the site of the accident, about one nautical mile west of Koh Yao Yai, where the sea was about 20 metres deep. The boat was about 15 minutes away from its destination at Koh Yao Noi when it sank. Pol Lt-Col Prathuang Silamontree, a marine police inspector, said the sudden onset of a heavy storm and the excessive weight caused the boat to capsize. The bodies of Intira and her younger brother Thanapol, which were found with the wreck, were brought ashore before the boat was brought up to the water surface and hauled to Koh Yao Noi island. Pol Col Anant Huangthongkham, superintendent of Marine Police Division 5, said it was not unusual for passengers to refuse to wear a life jacket. As a lesson has been learnt from the accident, marine police would strictly apply rules and regulations to all passenger boats. The Marine Department of the Transport Ministry would be more strict with licence requirements and the seaworthy condition of boats. Pol Col Anant said the fact that ferry boats, unlike fishing boats, are not equipped with a communications radio might have also contributed to the accident. Most ferry operators run their vessels from experience and individual knowledge of the terrain. They usually pay no attention to weather forecasts and have no formal knowledge of sea tides. Suda Nilsamut, 45, a survivor, said she was returning from Vajira Phuket hospital along with her daughter, Ruthairat Aoluknoi, who was seven months pregnant. She said shortly after the boat departed from Bang Rong pier in Phuket about 2.30pm the sky suddenly turned cloudy and dark. About 15 minutes from Koh Yao Noi the boat was hit by waves up to three or four metres high. Passengers ran in panic to the head of the boat causing it to overturn and sink, she said. Mrs Suda recalled the boat was overloaded. Many people were heading for Koh Yao district where a student boxing event was being held. She remembered giving a life jacket to her pregnant daughter while she held on to a pillow she had bought from Phuket. She said it would be better if passenger boats were bigger and better equipped with safety gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pescator Posted March 7, 2005 Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 As a lesson has been learnt from the accident, marine police would strictly apply rules and regulations to all passenger boats. The Marine Department of the Transport Ministry would be more strict with licence requirements and the seaworthy condition of boats. One should think that that lesson had been learnt already from the incident on Koh Samui a few months back Cheers Hua Nguu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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