PATTAYA, Thailand – Strong winds and rough seas sent a medium-sized tourist boat crashing onto Pattaya Beach after its anchor line broke, causing heavy damage estimated at several hundred thousand baht. The incident was reported at around 11:30 p.m. on July 8, after residents alerted authorities that a tour boat had been swept ashore near the entrance of Soi Pattaya 1. When reporters arrived, the boat was found stranded along the shoreline as waves continued pounding against the vessel. The force of the surf caused serious damage to the side of the boat, while strong winds and high waves also caused smaller boats anchored offshore to rock violently. The boat owner, Prasit Sukkul, 59, said he received a phone call from people near the beach informing him that his vessel had broken away from its anchorage and drifted toward shore. He rushed to the scene and found that the boat had been repeatedly hit by waves, causing major damage to the right side of the hull.
Prasit said the boat had been anchored around 200 meters offshore and was normally used to transport tourists and provide charter fishing trips. Although it had not been operating for almost a year, he said the vessel had continued to receive regular maintenance. The owner said the exact cause of the incident remains unclear. He questioned how the anchor rope, which was thick and designed for heavy use, could have broken, and said he could not rule out the possibility that it had been deliberately cut. However, he also acknowledged that the powerful waves and strong winds at the time may have caused the rope to fail. The boat could not be removed immediately due to the dangerous sea conditions. Officials and the owner planned to assess the situation the following morning and conduct a full inspection of the damage. The owner estimated the repairs could cost several hundred thousand baht. If the vessel is found to be too damaged to repair on site, arrangements may be made to remove the boat from the beach.
