PHUKET — Phuripat Theerakulpisut, director of the Phuket Marine Office, says the days of extortion by jet-ski operators on the island are over.
"There are zero problems now from jet-skis since we brought in jet-ski management. We have set clear zones for jet-skis on the beaches."
The Phuket News reported his comments on Thursday at a meeting on Tuesday between officials and the island's honorary consuls at the Phuket Garden Hotel.
None of the honorary consuls had reports to deliver of extortion by jet-ski operators, but two voiced concerns about safety.
Seven Smulders, honorary consul for the Netherlands, said the 15,000-baht insurance cover that jet-ski owners must now carry is not high enough to cover all possible costs.
He proposed that tourists should be given the choice of paying more for extra insurance coverage, with the amount being scaled for the amount of time that they hire a jet-ski.
Mr Smulders said that since most tourists do not bother to read the conditions in the hire contract, other ways must be devised to solve problems when they arise.
The tourists have to understand the risks of riding a jet-ski, and both they and the operators should understand how much they may have to pay in case of an accident, above and beyond the insurance.
French honorary consul Claude de Crissey, proposed that, apart from buoyancy vests, those using jet-skis should be required to wear additional safety equipment, such as helmets and gloves.
"We have four languages in the contract -- English, Thai, Russian and Chinese. But I would like the honorary consuls to tell their nationals that this is an 'exciting' activity, so they need to be aware and be prepared for the risks," Mr Phuripat said,