Almost 150 cruise ship passengers made an unplanned stop in Pattaya after strong winds forced the vessel to drop anchor off Koh Larn.
The World, a cruise ship operated by Bangkok-based S5 Asia Co., was on a voyage from Singapore to Hua Hin via Koh Samui and Koh Kood.
On Dec. 6, the ship carrying 147 tourists and 293 crewmembers sailed through Pattaya Bay, but strong winds prompted the captain to shelter the vessel by dropping anchor in deep water behind Koh Larn.
Local fisherman made up wild stories and spread false rumors that the ship was damaged when it hit rocks. S5 Asia, the Marine Department and Pattaya City Hall all confirmed those rumors were false and the ship was undamaged.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh said S5 asked the city to allow it to send passengers to Bali Hai Pier for the night, which was not a problem as they’d already cleared immigration before boarding.
With a Pattaya cruise terminal on the wish list for the government’s Eastern Economic Corridor plan, the ship’s visit could be a glimpse of the future for the city’s tourism industry, Ronakit said.
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