Lifeguards close Phuket beaches

The Phuket News

 

Karon Beach today (Sept 21). The heavy weather today forced lifeguards to close the beaches along Phuket's west coast. Photo: Phuket Lifeguard Service

 

PHUKET: -- Lifeguards have closed all beaches along Phuket’s west coast to prevent tourists and other swimmers from endangering themselves in dangerous surf.

 

“Right now, we have roped off large areas where we can at Mai Khao, Nai Yang, Nai Thon, Bang Tao, Surin, Kamala, Patong, Karon, Kata and Nai Harn beaches,” Phuket Lifeguards Service President Prathaiyut Chuayuan told The Phuket News today (Sept 21).

 

“Do not go into the sea. There are dangerous waves at these beaches today. Our lifeguards are keeping on eye out at every beach in case tourists are there. We will warn them and we can ban them from entering the water,” he added.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/lifeguards-close-phuket-beaches-63977.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-09-21

Swimming prohibited at 10 popular Phuket beaches

By The Nation

 

 

Lifeguards have announced a ban on swimming at 10 popular beaches of Phuket after strong winds caused waves of one to two metres high.

 

Lifeguards raised red flags and put up signs informing tourists thatswimming had been banned until the weather improved.

 

The 10 beaches are Mai Khao, Nai Yang, Nai Thon, Bang, Surin, Kamala, Patong, Karon, Kata and Nai Han.

 

Apart from the strong winds and waves, Phuket was also hit by heavy downpours early Thursday morning with some parts of the Thep Kasattri area inundated.

 

Several other roads, including the old road along the Phuket airport runway and the main road in Patong, were also partially flooded.

 

The heavy rains so far had not affected landings and take-offs at Phuket International Airport, airport officials said.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30327303

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-09-21

There will still be a Russian or Chinese casualty...

Or even an Australian !!

Great day to go surfing ?

On most beaches the Red Flag system is a total joke, as they are never taken down during the low season.  Now rope needs to be used, as many people do not trust, that Red Flag means that its dangerous to swim.

36 minutes ago, bri1guy said:

Great day to go surfing ?

 

 

strong crosswind always fun in phuket lol. probably good for kiteboarders

It's not what's on top that's dangerous it's what's underneath.

1 hour ago, Xonax said:

On most beaches the Red Flag system is a total joke, as they are never taken down during the low season.  Now rope needs to be used, as many people do not trust, that Red Flag means that its dangerous to swim.

Not what I see, depending on where exactly the rips are they move the flags.

The 'No Swimming' red flag system works on Patong beach, they stick them where the parasailing operation landing/take off zones are and Jet Skis (so about 40% of the beach area) nowt to do with safeguarding life, but does ensure parasailing and Jet ski activities are not disrupted... especially by anyone walking along or attempting to enjoy the beach.  

It ain,t the waves that are the danger, it,s the unbelievable rips that occur on many of these beaches, especially around this time of year. A local on Karon Beach once told me that sometimes a few people a day are swept out, never to return, and after almost being one of them I completely believe it !

Year in, year out, these red flags are there!

2 hours ago, wvavin said:

Year in, year out, these red flags are there!

Year in, year out, the rips tides are there!

3 hours ago, wvavin said:

Year in, year out, these red flags are there!

 

1 hour ago, ThaiWai said:

Year in, year out, the rips tides are there!

 

And year in, year out, a certain percentage of tourists will fall victim.

9 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

It ain,t the waves that are the danger, it,s the unbelievable rips that occur on many of these beaches, especially around this time of year. A local on Karon Beach once told me that sometimes a few people a day are swept out, never to return, and after almost being one of them I completely believe it !

Nonsense the claim that a few people a day are swept out never to return.

13 hours ago, Xonax said:

On most beaches the Red Flag system is a total joke, as they are never taken down during the low season.  Now rope needs to be used, as many people do not trust, that Red Flag means that its dangerous to swim.

Your comment definitely doesn't apply to Nai Harn, I see them being correctly repositioned regularly.

13 hours ago, dinsdale said:

It's not what's on top that's dangerous it's what's underneath.

True, not just for the beach!!!

 

  

yesterday afternoon went to Kamala beach,red flags up,no area roped off, no lifeguards,

cant see Anyone being stupid enough to go into the water

 

 

Quote

..... A local on Karon Beach once told me that sometimes a few people a day are swept out, never to return,

More fake news  

I've swum lots at these beaches and been told not to by lifeguards I've ignored. They are doing a good job but some of us can actually swim in big waves and know what to do if caught in a rip. There are many who don't and need the protection of these lifeguards.

Alan

S.B.S.L.S.C.

44 minutes ago, retoohs said:

I've swum lots at these beaches and been told not to by lifeguards I've ignored. They are doing a good job but some of us can actually swim in big waves and know what to do if caught in a rip. There are many who don't and need the protection of these lifeguards.

Alan

S.B.S.L.S.C.

So for the sake of everybody: stay out when told so.

9 hours ago, nausea said:

 

 

And year in, year out, a certain percentage of tourists will fall victim.

Agreed. My point is that the lifeguards constantly move the flags to account for water conditions all year. I am at the Phuket beaches almost daily and can attest to this. My response was to someone who suggested the red flags are false warnings. 

40 minutes ago, ThaiWai said:

Agreed. My point is that the lifeguards constantly move the flags to account for water conditions all year. I am at the Phuket beaches almost daily and can attest to this. My response was to someone who suggested the red flags are false warnings. 

Fully accept what you say. Just taking advantage of your post as a part of a repetitive rhetorical device to imply the beaches are inherently unsafe: every year red flags, every year rip tides: every year tourists drown. My apologies if that message came across as an implied criticism of your post, that isn't what I intended at all.

Patong this morning (07.30) was all red flags in place full length of beach, no one in  water, seen two snakes on the beach also (small about 2ft long, black with white-ish hoops/stripes near end of tail) may even have been eels, I wasn't getting too close to examine lol. Just lay on sand below tide line with all the other jetsam and flotsam, nearer to ocean than prom/trees was about 800 meters apart though.

 

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

So for the sake of everybody: stay out when told so.

Indeed.

 

3 hours ago, retoohs said:

I've swum lots at these beaches and been told not to by lifeguards I've ignored. They are doing a good job but some of us can actually swim in big waves and know what to do if caught in a rip. There are many who don't and need the protection of these lifeguards.

Alan

S.B.S.L.S.C.

I don't doubt your ability Alan, just the ability of others.

 

There's an old joke.  Guy flies around the top of the Empire State Building apparently supported by the updrafts into his spread-out jacket; another guy on the viewing platform, encouraged by this display, tries it and drops like a stone. The first guy's mate says: "You can be a ba**ard sometimes Superman".

 

You get me drift - savvy?