Officials have told Jaruk Ngamkaew, owner of Koh
Larn Travel Co., to clean up his act or risk losing his contract with the city.
Urasin Khantaraphan
Area officials have suspended operations of Koh Larn Travel Co., the
operator of a ferry that sank last year, killing seven tourists.
Banglamung District Chief Sakchai Taengho and Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit
Ekasingh announced suspension of the city’s contract and the company’s authority
to operate seven ferries to the island at a meeting July 17. Officials said
that, since the November accident, the number of complaints against the ferry
operator have skyrocketed, tarnishing Pattaya’s image.
The deaths and injuries aboard the Koh Larn Travel I occurred not only because
the captain was abusing methamphetamines while working, taking the boat off
course, but because it was severely overloaded and lacked sufficient numbers of
life jackets and flotation devices.
Marine officials halted operations of the company’s seven remaining ferries for
immediate inspection and, eight months later, only half the vessels have
returned to service. The result has been a strain on the company’s operations.
Complaints have mounted about price gouging, abandoning passengers on Koh Larn,
not providing promised services and unpredictable pickup and return times. The
company’s practice of having motorbike taxis prey on passengers as they get off
the boat also has stoked the ire of customers, many of which have gone online to
lambast the company and Pattaya City Hall for doing business with Koh Larn
Travel.
Politicians summoned company owner Jaruk Ngamkaew to the meeting to demand
changes to resolve the complaints and an immediate audit of the entire ferry
operation.
Sakchai told the company it must reorganize its pickup and delivery system,
which currently are made at seemingly random locations, making it difficult for
marine officials to keep tabs on the operation. Sakchai said future pickups and
drop-offs must be done at a specific location at Bali Hai Pier at the time
specified on the ticket.
The district chief also told Jaruk to end all contracts with motorbike taxis and
put a tour guide on every boat to help passengers coordinate the additional
travel plans,
He said if the company does not make the required changes, its contract will be
terminated permanently.
