Phuket eyes boosting superyacht tourism

The Marine Department held a significant meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Friday the 19th of July to gain feedback from officials and industry partners in determining what changes in the law were required to help boost the superyacht marine tourism industry.

The meeting was presided over by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat, and attended by key figures including Surat Sirisayat, Director of the Ship Registration Standards Bureau, and Phuket Marine Chief Natchapong Pranit.

Joining the meeting were more than 100 people representing government agencies on the island, as well as key tourism industry figures and operators from Phuket’s marine tourism sector.

The primary agenda was to discuss the draft announcement of the Ministry of Transport, aimed at establishing new criteria, methods and conditions for granting permissions to large cruise and sports boats ‒ that is, superyachts ‒ to non-Thai owners.

The initiative is a part of the effort to align with international standards and promote Thailand as a world-class maritime tourism hub.

The Ministry of Transport’s policy aims to drive economic growth by promoting large cruise and sports boats as a key component of the maritime tourism strategy. Phuket, with its numerous operators and stakeholders in the cruise and large sports boats industry, plays a critical role in the strategy, said an official report of the meeting.

The draft announcement under discussion is pursuant to Section 47 bis of the Thai Vessels Act, B.E. 2481, which must be revised in order for the government to support the development of the superyacht tourism industry.

Section 47 of the Act stipulates, “Unless agreed otherwise with other countries, Thai vessels registered under this Act and vessels the size of which is smaller than that specified in section 8 for engaging in trading in Thai waters only belonging to a person under section 7, shall engage in trading in Thai waters.

The provision of the preceding paragraph shall not apply to a vessel, the size of which is smaller than that specified in section 8 for engaging in trading in Thai waters, of a natural person who is a foreigner.”

However, Section 47 bis.12, notes: “In the case where the Minister has considered that the number of Thai vessels operating in any part of Thai waters is not enough for the demand of the country, he or she shall have power to grant permission to a vessel of a person not qualified to hold an ownership of a Thai vessel under section 7 to carry out activity under section 47. The period of the permission shall not exceed one year and the permitted person shall comply with the conditions imposed by the Minister.”

Also relevant is Section 48, which states, “No person who are not qualified to hold an ownership of a Thai vessel under section 7 shall lease or take by other means a Thai vessel the size of which is that specified in section 8 for engaging in trading in Thai waters and registered under this Act, and use it to engage in trading in Thai waters.”

In calling for its members to attend the meeting, the Thai Yachting Business Association (TYBA) noted that a key revision will be changing the definition of a superyacht from a vessel longer than 30 metres to a vessel long than 24m.

Also, superyachts applying for a new charter license will require a minimum amount of insurance coverage. The amount is not announced yet, but should be informed in the meeting, the TYBA said.

During the meeting, participants shared their opinions and suggestions, which the Ship Registration Standards Bureau will compile and analyse. The collected feedback will be used to refine the draft announcement to ensure it meets both local and international standards and benefits all stakeholders involved, the official report said.

The outcome of the meeting is expected to significantly influence the future operations of superyachts in Thai waters, aligning the country’s maritime policies with global best practices and boosting its appeal as a premier maritime destination, the report concluded.

Original story from The Phuket News