Chinese govt officials visit injured Chinese tourists in Thailand

BANGKOK - Chinese officials on Saturday visited the Chinese tourists who were injured after two boats capsized in storms in southern Thailand's Phuket on Thursday.

Lyu Jian, Chinese ambassador to Thailand, Chen Xiongfeng, deputy director-general of the Department of Consular Affairs of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Zhou Haicheng, Chinese consul-general in Songkhla visited the injured Chinese tourists in Phuket Provincial Hospital.

Lyu said Chinese leaders have asked the Thai side and the Chinese side to do their best to search for the missing and take care of the injured.

Thailand has dispatched various forces for the rescue work, said Lyu, who also promised to protect the Chinese tourists' legal rights.

Jesada Chokdamrongsuk, Thailand's permanent secretary for Public Health who visited the injured together with the Chinese officials, told Xinhua that the Thai Ministry of Public Health is very sorry about what happened and they are doing their best to help the injured and the families of the victims.

According to Thai authorities, at least 33 people died and 23 remained missing after two boats overturned in rough seas in south Thailand on Thursday.