Genting Dream Leads Thai Maritime Safety Drill in Phuket

On July 9, the cruise ship Genting Dream played a central role in a major emergency response exercise held at the Phuket Deep Sea Port. Known as Passenger Ship Exercise 2025, the large-scale drill was designed to strengthen Thailand’s maritime safety framework and readiness for emergencies at sea.

The event was organized by Thai maritime agencies and featured simulated crisis scenarios including lifeboat evacuations, man-overboard rescues, and a shipboard fire. The Royal Thai Navy and local emergency units provided operational support throughout the day.

Serving as the focal point of the exercise, the Genting Dream hosted a series of simulated emergency events such as:

• Deployment of lifeboats to evacuate crew and passengers
• Recovery of passengers who had leapt overboard after delayed evacuation
• A fire incident onboard, tackled with assistance from the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation and the Royal Thai Navy ship HTMS Panyi

The comprehensive drill united a broad coalition of participants from both the public and private sectors. Key contributors included the Royal Thai Navy, the Marine Department, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the Ministry of Public Health, and various emergency medical teams.

Admiral Phairoj Fuangchanchai, Director-General of Thai-MECC, presided over the opening of the event. Rear Admiral Benjamaporn Wongnakornsawang provided insights into the objectives of the exercise and observed operations firsthand aboard the vessel.