An examination of the salvaged tour boat the Phoenix — the sinking of which killed 47 Chinese tourists in July — revealed that there were multiple failures in the boat’s operation and design that contributed to the high death roll, officials said today.
Consequently, more officials are now facing legal charges for neglecting their duties.
Immigration Police Chief Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn today said that the Royal Thai police and ship experts from Germany, hired to investigate the cause of the Phoenix disaster have completed a five-day examination and decisively concluded that the boat was substandard.
Among the reasons cited for the boat’s capsizing was the fact that the Phoenix had just one watertight door, instead of the standard four, reported Workpoint.
Additionally, the boat’s glass was not of the standard marine grade, which was why a lot of passengers couldn’t break the glass to escape.
More alarmingly, the boat’s stability was not up to standard, but rather than fixing it, the crew used cement blocks to balance the boat and keep it upright.
“More officials or engineers who were involved in the plans, and who approved the boat’s registration, will face legal action. The former Phuket marine office chief has already been arrested and is facing legal action for ignoring his duties,” Maj. Gen. Surachate said.
There will be a press conference with both Chinese and Thai authorities next week to further clarify details about the incident, he added.
The Phoenix, which was carrying 105 people — mostly Chinese tourists — sank on July 5 as it made its way back from a popular snorkeling spot off the southern resort island of Phuket.
The disaster was one of the worst boating accidents in Thailand’s recent history.
Rattled by a series of incidents that have led to bad press about Thailand in the Chinese media, many China-centric Thai tourism companies took a massive hit, with declines of more than 50 percent in business.
If the numbers continue to plummet, Thailand’s tourist-based economy will be greatly affected, given that China contributes the largest portion of tourists to Thailand, making up 28 percent of last year’s 35 million visitor arrivals.
In August, only a month after the Phoenix’s sinking, it was announced that special Chinese-only lines were being created to quickly process Chinese tourists at Suvarnabhumi. Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Hat Yai airports.
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