China hopes for quick action on Phoenix after boat resurfaced

China hopes for quick action on Phoenix after boat resurfaced

The resurfaced Phoenix boat is expected to be towed to the Phuket shore on Sunday for scrutinisation to help establish the cause of the boat's capsize. (Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran)
The resurfaced Phoenix boat is expected to be towed to the Phuket shore on Sunday for scrutinisation to help establish the cause of the boat's capsize. (Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran)

PHUKET: China hopes the reason for the capsize of the <i>Phoenix</i> boat will be established quickly, with wrongdoers punished for the incident that killed 47 Chinese tourists, a Chinese diplomat said on Sunday.

Li Chunlin, the Chinese embassy's consul general, stressed Beijing's stance after the diving boat was brought back to the surface from the seabed on Saturday, four months after the tragedy that took the lives of his compatriots.

"The Chinese government hopes that Thailand will quickly find out the cause of the boat capsize and pursue legal action against those who have committed wrongdoing," he said during an observation of the operation.

The Phoenix sunk on July 5 off the coast of Phuket and killed 47 visitors from China while it was returning to the resort island from a diving trip on the Andaman Sea.

The incident has drastically lowered the confidence of Chinese tourists coming to Thailand, forcing the government to come out with generous measures to revitalise the sector.

The number of Chinese arrivals was 8 million from January to September, up 13% from the same period of last year. But the number of Chinese visitors started to drop in July and plunged more than 10% in August and September, according to Tourism and Sports Ministry figures.

The boat will provide key evidence for investigators hoping to establish the cause of the tragedy. The resurfaced vessel will be scrutinised after it is towed to a dry dock on the shore, expected on Sunday.

The exact number of people to face charges of recklessness causing death and injury to others in the case remains unclear. Police had said earlier that they included Woralak Ruekchaikal, 26, owner of the ill-fated boat and Onchan Kanhayothi, 56, chief engineer of the vessel. They denied the accusations.

Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakparn, the acting commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, indicated more suspects could be added after a thorough look at the boat, including its structure and adherence to safety standards. Investigators will find out who approved the building blueprint of the Phoenix and allowed it to set sail, he added.

Deputy police chief Pol Gen Rungroj Saengkram, who leads the investigation, said legal action will be taken against every wrongdoer, and this will revive the Chinese government's confidence in Thailand's handling of the case.

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