Tourist Blames Ferry Crew as Luggage Swept to Sea in Thailand
An Australian traveller has voiced her frustration and disappointment, attributing the loss of her personal belongings to what she described as "incompetent" crew members on a Thai ferry. The incident occurred during a voyage from the popular island of Koh Tao to Koh Samui on Sunday, when the traveller witnessed her own luggage floating adrift at sea.
Alice Zamparelli, originally from Perth, shared a video on her TikTok account that captured the alarming scene. The footage depicted dozens of suitcases and backpacks bobbing precariously in the choppy waters as the ferry navigated its course. The caption accompanying the video clearly stated: "Lost all our luggage (because) of incompetent crew members."
It has been reported that the luggage on board the ferry was not adequately secured on the upper deck. Consequently, the rough sea conditions caused the items to be swept overboard, leading to the significant loss for several passengers.
Ms. Zamparelli managed to secure some compensation for her lost items, receiving 50,000 Thai Baht, which is approximately £1,100. She highlighted the persistence required to achieve this, stating, "We were just very persistent." She also noted that other passengers were not as fortunate, with some receiving no compensation at all, and others missing their flights due to the incident.
The tourist, who was on holiday in Thailand, did not recover her actual luggage. She expressed her astonishment at the ferry staff's assessment of her belongings' value. "The ferry staff were fully convinced that a suitcase could not be worth more than 20,000 baht (around $950 AUD) when in reality all our belongings would definitely have been around the 100,000 baht (around $4,700 AUD) range for each of our suitcases," she wrote in the comments section of her video.
She further elaborated on the perceived disparity in valuation, explaining, "In Thailand... everything is much cheaper than in western countries like Australia so they almost laughed in our faces when we were explaining the worth of our belongings."
Despite the initial dismissiveness, Ms. Zamparelli recounted the effort involved in obtaining compensation. "Thankful we were able to get 50,000 baht but it took a lot of convincing and arguing and they finally had to take us inside and pay us discretely," she explained. She added that others did not receive as much, even though it was still insufficient. "Only reason we got paid that much was because we stayed there until the very end wearing them down," she concluded.
The video has garnered significant attention on TikTok, with thousands of views and numerous comments from stunned social media users. The ferry route between Koh Tao and Koh Samui is known for its challenging conditions, particularly during the monsoon season, which often results in rough seas. This incident serves as a stark reminder for travellers to ensure their belongings are securely stored and to be prepared for potential disruptions when travelling on sea routes, especially during periods of adverse weather. The experience underscores the importance of clear communication and fair compensation practices in the tourism industry.
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