A high profile delegation of officials from the Chinese Embassy in Thailand went to Pattaya yesterday to request improved safety for their nationals.
The move follows a large number of deaths from drowning of Chinese people visiting the resort.
Senior embassy secretary Zhou Guangxu told a meeting at tourist police HQ that a large number of Chinese Pattayaeople would be visiting in “Golden Week” from February 4th to 10th and he wants to see better care taken of his compatriots especially those swimming or doing water sports.
He said that 80% of drowning deaths in Pattaya were Chinese people.
The Thai authorities and operators promised more signage especially on speedboats and better communication in advising Chinese nationals about the dangers, reported Manager.
In addition Mr Zhou called for safety checks on boats and buses to be made.
He asked for shops renting motorcycles to be stringent and only rent bikes to those tourists with international licences. He asked for help from the police in enforcing this aspect of safety as well.
And he requested that more officials be brought in that could speak Chinese as he recognized that most of his compatriots could speak neither Thai nor English.
Thaivisa notes that only last week a Croatian national saved two Chinese men from drowning at the beach.
Calls have been made for lifeguards but this aspect of safety was not mentioned in the Manager article.
