Relax - Marines rescue stranded tourists off Thai beaches

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A marine police boat yesterday braved three-metre-high waves for more than five hours to rescue six university students and a nine-year-old girl from Klaeb Island off Chum Phon.

The stranded tourists were clearly shaken up after their ordeal. Their trip began on March 21. However, due to rough weather conditions, they were unable to return to the mainland on March 25 as planned. Even as their food supply was running thin, all they could do was call out for help and wait.

"We contacted all relevant agencies in a bid to rescue them," Chumphon Governor Pinij Jarernpanich said yesterday.

Marine Police Station 1 (Chumphon) inspector Pol LtColonel Worawit Boonprakong dispatched a boat for the rescue operation. Another inspector, Pol LtColonel Boonlert Srinuan, accompanied by eight other policemen, led the operations.

Klaeb Island is about six kilometres from Chumphon's Sawi district.

More than 100 people, particularly relatives of the stranded tourists, waited anxiously for the boat's return.

The youngest tourist was Arisara Jittrong, 9. She is a cousin of a university student stranded on the Klaeb Island.

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Her mother Kannapat said, "I am so happy that they've returned to the mainland safely. I will never let my daughter go out to the sea again."

In Phang Nga, the Royal Thai Navy also sent two royal boats to bring 103 stranded tourists from Similan and Surin islands.

All the tourists looked relieved when they stepped into the royal boats. They reached the mainland Phang Ngai last night.

In the wake of strong wind and high waves, tour boats have refused to set sail. These tourists, therefore, had to wait for help from the Royal Thai Navy.

Ferry services between the main?land Surat Thani and Pha Ngan Island as well as Samui Island have been sus?pended too.

A few hundreds of tourists were stranded on Pha Ngan Island as of press time. Most were foreigners.

"We have warned the tourists to not splash into the sea now," Panu Woramit said yesterday in his capacity as the head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Surat Thani branch.

It is estimated that there were between 600 and 700 tourists stranded on Samui Island as Bangkok Airways also cancelled most of its flights to and from the island since Monday.

Flooding in Samui town was quite serious. Most roads were inundated. Due to high floodwater levels, some areas were without electricity.

Marines rescue stranded tourists off Thai beaches

The Nation, ANN | Wed, Mar 30 2011

An estimated 600 to 700 tourists are stranded on Samui Island.

Marines rescue stranded tourists off Thai beaches

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