Jet ski operators ordered to buy insurance

       Provincial authorities are forcing jet ski operators on the resort island to buy insurance policies for their vehicles as part of efforts to regulate the business.
       Rear Adm Amornchote Sujirat, deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) on Phuket, said the number of rental jet skis on the island would be limited to 219.
       The strict new measures were outlined at a meeting yesterday of a provincial panel set up to discuss regulating jet ski operations on Phuket. It was ordered to outline measures to prevent tourists being extorted by jet ski operators. Insurance firms, jet ski operators and tourism agencies attended the meeting.
       The move followed the recent distribution of video recordings showing foreign tourists allegedly being ripped off over damage to jet skis on Phuket.The videos were broadcast by a cable TV channel in Britain and widely viewed on YouTube.
       Rear Adm Amornchote said the authorities wanted all commercial jet skis on the island to be insured. Only one insurance firm would be chosen to insure the jet skis.
       When the details were finalised, Phuket would become the first province to have all jet skis insured.
       The committee had met three times to discuss steps to regulate jet ski rental operations in a bid to prevent extortion of foreigners over damage to the vehicles.
       As part of the measures, zones will be set up on each beach. Each zone will be supervised by a person selected from among the jet ski operators.
       A total of 219 jet skis are now available for rent on Surin, Bangtao, Kamala,Patong and Kata-Karon beaches.
       A list of operators and their jet skis will be prepared. Any operator found to extort money from tourists will face tough legal action. Closed-circuit television cameras will be installed on the beaches to prevent possible extortion of tourists.
       He said operators and jet ski staff would be required to undergo training on safety measures and safe areas for jet ski operations.
       Operators who took advantage of tourists would be blacklisted and they would not have their operating permits renewed, he said.
       Jet ski operators from other provinces would not be allowed to provide services in Phuket.
       Rear Adm Amornchote said 10 insurance firms had shown interest in the plan.
       They would be given 15 days to submit their conditions and premiums to the provincial authorities.
       Anusorn Sareh, acting chairman of the jet ski operators club in Phuket, said if the annual insurance premium cost more than 10,000 baht per vehicle it would be rejected by the operators, as their businesses only operate profitably during the main tourism season of about six months only.