PHUKET, THAILAND – Six crew members from tourist boats tested positive for drugs during a large-scale inspection at Chalong Pier that followed a deadly boat crash near Phi Phi.
Crackdown after fatal boat accident
The checks came in response to a serious boat accident a few days earlier in which a 17-year-old Russian girl died, prompting authorities to intensify water safety measures. Under the leadership of tourist police chief Ekachai Siri, several units gathered at Chalong Pier at 8 a.m. to inspect captains and crews of tourist vessels.
“The checks are part of tightened safety measures.”
said a police spokesman, adding that holidaymakers’ trust needed to be restored.
Mass operation and alarming test results
A large force was deployed, including the Tourist Police, Narcotics Suppression Police, Marine Police, the Marine Department and Chalong Police. In total, 87 people were randomly selected and subjected to a urine drug test, with 81 testing negative and six returning positive results. The specific substances were not disclosed, and all six people who tested positive were referred for legal proceedings.
Safety risks for tourists on the water
Officials described the findings as a warning sign, noting that crew members under the influence of drugs posed an unpredictable safety risk to hundreds of passengers on board. The operation suggested that official safety precautions may have been lax for a long time, with tighter enforcement only following a tragedy. For tourists booking boat trips, the revelations were unsettling, as they entrust their lives to the crew.
Authorities promise tougher oversight
Police announced they would continue and expand the inspections, with all boat operators in the province to come under closer supervision. The policy came from high-level officers: Police General Saksira Puek-am, commander of the Tourist Police, and Major General Setthasak Yimcharoen ordered stricter standards. The stated goal was zero tolerance for drugs in the tourism sector, with any further positive test to be punished immediately.
Experts back random, unannounced testing
Safety specialists had long called for regular and unannounced drug tests for all staff in tourist transport, and the latest discovery supported their demands.
“A drug problem in the boat crew is like a drunk pilot in the cockpit,”
said a former naval officer, warning that the danger was real and had to be tackled at its root. The revelations were seen as a serious setback for Phuket’s image as a safe destination, with authorities only now beginning the work of rebuilding trust.