Nachaphong Pranit, Director of Phuket Office of the Marine Department, handed down the order at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Jan 10).
Mr Nachaphong, following his announcement only last Friday (Jan 6), again pointed out that the boat operator had been fined B10,000 for operating the vessel, called the ‘Swasadee’, with an expired registration permit.
The beach club vessel also has yet to be inspected, for a third time, and granted official permission to operate, he added, noted an official report of the meeting.
“At this time, the ship will have to suspend service until the legal action is taken by the officers of the Regional Harbor Office, Phuket branch, to inspect the general structural condition, as well as notifying the shipowner to take legal action in the relevant areas,” Mr Nachapong said.
According to the official report, Mr Nachapong specified that the boat operator had yet to apply to change the boat license from the type of passenger transport to a type of passenger transport with food and beverage service.
The boat’s horn signal needed to be made operational, and a fire extinguishing control system had to be installed and fully operational. The boat operator also had to obtain approval for its waste management system on board, said the report.
However, even according to the previous announcement by Mr Nachapong’s office only on Friday, the boat operator has already applied to the Marine Department’s Bureau of Ship Standards, based in Bangkok to change the boat’s registered “type of ship” in order to meet its intended purpose. The request is currently under consideration, Phuket marine officials themselves noted.
The boat owner has also already presented a letter of approval to drop anchor in Patong Bay issued by the Phuket Marine Resources Conservation Center, including a certificate of transport and approval for its solid waste management system. Patong Municipality has also issued the operator a “certificate of sound use” for the boat, an official report on Friday also confirmed.
Photos of an inspection by officials also showed the boat had two fire hose stations on board and six life rafts attached to the stern of the boat.
Regardless, according to the latest official report, Mr Nachapong yesterday said: “In the event that this type of boat will come to service around Patong Beach or in any area, it must be approved by the area by the authorised person, namely the provincial working group.”