Fatal riverboat tragedy strikes in Thailand

A river boat carrying pilgrims was being piloted recklessly before it capsized, killing at least 18 people, officials said on Monday as rescuers searched for 12 people still missing near Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage site located some 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the capital, Bangkok.

Scores of people lined the Chao Phraya's riverbank on Monday morning as divers plunged into the murky waters for the grim task of searching the partially submerged two-deck boat for the missing.

Police have detained the boat's captain and charged him with criminal negligence. "The boat has permission to carry about 50 people, but it was carrying more than 100 people," Ayutthaya police chief Sudhi Puengpikul said.

Ayutthaya Deputy Governor Rewat Prasong also said that 14 people were hospitalized. All of the victims are believed to be Thai nationals.

The tragedy struck as the boat returned from a memorial for a Muslim scholar at an Ayutthaya mosque. Television footage showed the boat stopping abruptly as it appeared to hit the concrete bank, and foundering within a minute.

The Chao Phraya, the main river that flows through Bangkok, is a key commuting artery, filled with often packed boats plying the waterways at high speed. It also runs through Ayutthaya, the ancient Thai capital, whose riverside is studded with ruined Buddhist temples.

The fatal accident came as Thailand expects to welcome a record 33 million visitors this year. Traffic and boat accidents involving tourists are common in Thailand, where safety standards are often below international norms.

jar/msh (AFP, Reuters)