SURAT THANI: Tourism operators called on local authorities on Wednesday to strictly regulate jet ski renters at Koh Samui after four employees of a jet ski operator assaulted and injured a Swiss tourist.
Thanongsak Somwong, chairman of the Koh Samui tourism promotion association, said business owners and tourism operators wanted concerned agencies to impose stronger controls on more than 50 jet ski owners who are operating on Koh Samui’s beaches.
Mr Thanongsak said some operators took advantages or threatened physical attacks. He blamed state agencies for failing to crack down on rogue jet ski owners, resulting in a repeat of the similar incident.
On Tuesday, a 27-year-old Swiss tourist, Buja Kajumai, was reportedly beaten by four men who worked for a jet ski owner at Chaweng Beach. The four accused Mr Kajumai of crashing a craft which he rented from them and asked him to pay for damage. The tourist denied he harmed the craft, and refused to pay. The men reportedly attacked and beat him.
The four suspects have been charged them with physical assault and kept in police custody.
Police on Wednesday went to the scene to question additional witnesses and record information of more than 30 jet-ski owners and employees operating along the Chaweng beach.
In Pattaya, many tourists and expats regard the jet ski scam run by mafia-like operators on the resort town’s beach as the most critical issue for visitors. A similar situation exists in Phuket.
In the scam, people who rent jet skis are forced to pay inflated sums for repairs when they return the craft. The jet skis already have superficial damage before they are rented out, but the customers tend not to notice as the damage is usually on the underside of the craft, obscured by water.