PHUKET, Thailand, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Thai Navy will work with harbor officials and the police to tighten safety checks on tourist boats across Phuket following a deadly accident, commander of Thai Naval Area 3 Somnuek Prempramote said on Friday.
Somnuek told a press conference that they will monitor the weather and usher boats back to shore should weather conditions be deemed too dangerous.
The Thai navy will cooperate with the Marine Department to check every tourist boat's condition and the amount of passengers on board to make it safer for tourists, he added.
Two tourist boats, Phoenix and Serenata, capsized in rough seas off Thailand's southern Phuket island on July 5. All the 42 passengers on board Serenata were rescued while 47 tourists, all Chinese, aboard Phoenix died and 42 others were rescued.
Norraphat Plodthong, governor of Phuket province, said for the deceased, family members have indicated their intent to cremate the bodies in 37 cases, and sevev have already been transported back to their homeland.
He mentioned that compensation has already been provided to six families of the deceased from the Foreign Tourist Fund and insurance companies, and 17 more families would be compensated on Friday while the remaining families are undergoing the proper documentation processes to be compensated as soon as possible.
