Zipline staff arrested

CHIANG MAI  Tour operators are advising their tour clients to give Thailand’s zipline attractions a wide berth.
Tour firms say there is not enough supervision of attractions such as ziplines by the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, which is responsible to set standards and regulate tourism-related companies and attractions.
All tour related companies including theme parks that cater to tourists are technically answerable to the ministry. But there are thousands of unregistered travel operations and attractions that exist outside the law.
The latest fatal accident involving a Chinese tourist last week came under heavy scrutiny from police who apprehended two staff members at the tourist attractions over the weekend.
inside no 4They were charged with negligence and failure to provide safety for the Chinese female tourist who fell to her death.
Initially, staff at the attraction said they believed the tourist suffered a heart attack and then fell from one of the zipline stations, high above the ground.
Atiwat Orkam, 23, and Thaweesin Pongpanasawasdi, 31, both employees of the Flying Squirrels zipline company, surrendered to police Sunday and to face charges of negligence resulting in death.
The Chinese tourist, Wang Qi, broke her neck while riding the zipline line and died instantly.
In a report filed by the Thai language news channel, Khaosod, the police alleged the workers instructed the victim to share a sling with another tourist. Police alleged that this forced the sling to accelerate along the descending cable slamming the victim into the station with such force it broke her neck.
The latest report contradicted earlier statements that said the Chinese tourist fell from the station to her death suffering multiple fractures when she hit the ground.
Although staff surrendered to police there was no details on whether the company faced charges or what compensation it would offer the victim’s family.
Zipline rides are not covered by insurance. They are termed extreme adventure activities and up until now despite numerous accidents and at least two deaths this year at zipline sites in Chiang Mai, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has not made a statement on tightening safety measures in cooperation with provincial authorities.
On Sunday the minister visited the site and issued a statement saying zipline companies would have to improve safety and maintenance standards. She did not say how the ministry would check on companies ,or what other checks and balances could be introduced to improve quality and safety. (See related story today).

sourced:ttrweekly.com