- Boat was carrying 31 tourists when it exploded in front of Phi Phi Le island, Krabi
- Six are in severe condition while other have been taken to hospitals in Phuket
- Of those injured, 14 were Chinese tourists and two were Thai crew members
A speedboat carrying 31 tourists exploded while hopping between Thai holiday islands, forcing passengers to jump into the water to save themselves.
The boat caught fire near Phi Phi Le island in the southern Thailand province of Krabi and 16 passengers were injured.
Six are in a severe condition and others have been sent to hospitals in Phuket for further treatment, while nine have been discharged.
The boat caught fire near Phi Phi Le island in the southern Thailand province of Krabi and 16 passengers were injured
Out of the 16 injured, 14 were tourists from China and two were Thai crew members
Out of the 16 injured, 14 were tourists from China and two were Thai crew members.
People on nearby boats pulled passengers from the water, according to Lt. Santipot Nguanruang of the Phi Phi island police station.
Beach resorts and islands in southern Thailand are major tourist attractions, particularly during the high season from November to March.
Other tourists watched on as the boat became engulfed in flames, and passengers who jumped off the burning ship were helped onto other boats to stay safe
Beach resorts and islands in southern Thailand are major tourist attractions, particularly during the high season from November to March
Tourism accounts for around 12 per cent of Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy.
It is one of its fastest growing sectors and an estimated 35 million visitors went to Thailand last year, 10 million of which were tourists from China.
The Thai Ministy of Tourism and Sports expects the country to welcome 37 to 38 million tourists in 2018.