Dear Editor,
The very first day I landed at Jomtien Beach and saw banana boats arriving to the shore at high speed discharging cheering customers, I said to myself: “This is dangerous as well criminal. One day a serious accident will occur. It’s just a question of time.” Many accidents have happened in the last years, mostly none reported.
What happened (last week) is tragic and grave. A Polish lady, a tourist, was killed by the propeller of a boat, a few meters from the shore.
Who is the prime responsible for that horrible and unacceptable tragedy? Not the ignorant, ill-mannered, untrained young man who legally drove the boat. Not the poor Polish tourist that got in the water in the wrong place and wrong time. Or maybe the city management that never issued rules and regulations for the safety of the bathers? The answer is too easy. City Hall has to be fully blamed for their carelessness and lack of sense of responsibility.
Meanwhile a bail of 100,000 baht was paid by some unknown entity.
In the future, a trial will be carried out. The Thai driver will be discharged of any responsibility and the insurance company, if any, will pay a small amount to the Polish family. I’m sure that many people should be happy to read the police report on the interview to the boat driver.
The driver will go back to his usual job and again drive the boat. Everything will become as usual. Let’s wait for the next deadly accident. Again it is just a question of time.
Concerned Farang
