Police arrested a boat's helmsman late on Sunday night for drink-driving at sea after he steered an empty double-decker passenger boat onto a Pattaya beach at speed, forcing locals and tourists to flee.
Officials examine a boat after a drunken man ran the vessel onto Pattaya beach on Sunday night, sending tourists fleeing in panic. No one was injured. Chaiyot Phuttanapong
The incident happened on a beach opposite Pattaya Soi 13 in tambon Nong Preu of Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. No one was hurt.
According to a witness, the two-storey tour boat, capable of taking up to 47 passengers, was stuck for more than three hours with its engine running before police and rescue teams were notified.
When they boarded the boat they found the helmsman, aged 45-50 years, in a drunken state.
He refused to get off the boat and paced back and forth, before officers managed to take him away for questioning.
A duty officer at Pattaya police said there was no record of the man being charged and he was probably given a "verbal warning".
However, the incident has raised questions about the dangers of steering a vessel at sea and near coastal areas while drunk. While procedures to test motorists' blood alcohol content are enforced, there are currently no such procedures to test helmsmen.
Witnesses urged authorities to ensure that people in control of boats are sober and capable of steering a motorised vehicle. "This incident was dangerous and could have lead to casualties if the tourists and locals hadn't managed to get away in time from the speeding boat. Helmsmen need to be checked like those who drive on the road," a witness said.
