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:TUP

Pattaya ferry confesses to drug use

The captain of a ferry that capsized about 1,500 metres offshore from Pattaya on Sunday evening has turned himself in, telling police he was high on drugs while on his duty.

Saman Kwanmuang, 42, turned himself into police on Sunday night, hours after his ferry capsized while returning about 200 Thai and foreign tourists from a day trip to Koh Larn.

Pol Maj Gen Katcha Tatusatra, Chon Buri police chief, said the captain confessed to officers that he took some drugs before going to work, and that he and the crew lost control of the vessel as a result. He allegedly confessed the ferry wandered off course, and hit the rocks, breaching the vessel, punching holes and letting water pour in.

According to a report in Daily News, Mr Saman realised the problem, so he turned off all power so he could try to fix the water pump. He issued no warning to his passengers, supposedly so they would not panic.

However, after 10 minutes, so much water had flowed into the bottom deck of the two-deck boat that passengers had indeed begun to panic. Squabbles broke out, apparently because there were not enough life jackets to go around, the captain allegedly told police.

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