Phuket beach safety plunges as surfer rescues ‘safety official’

[webfact]

Phuket beach safety plunges as surfer rescues ‘safety official’

The Phuket News

 

Rescue workers render emergency treatment to the Chinese tourist after Phuket surfer ‘Max’ rescued both him and the ‘beach safety’ official who tried to rescue him. Photo: Courtesy of Freedom Man / Facebook

 

PHUKET: A local surfer at Phuket’s Nai Harn Beach was forced to come to the rescue yesterday (Oct 17) to safely bringing back to shore a Chinese tourist in distress and the local official tasked as part of the “emergency beach safety team” who was trying to rescue him.

 

The surfer, who The Phuket News has so far only been able to confirm calls himself “Max”, paddled out with a friend to carry out the rescues after noticing the two in trouble about 100 metres from shore at about midday, former Nai Harn chief lifeguard Jula Nontree confirmed.

 

The beach safety official had taken a lifeguard rescue paddle board out to assist the Chinese tourist, but was unable to carry out the rescue once reaching the tourist, with both the Chinese man and the official struggling to clamber onto the paddle board.

 

Full story:  https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-beach-safety-plunges-as-surfer-rescues-safety-official-64344.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-10-18

[watgate]

I find it pathetic that money can be found for all sorts of big ticket items but no money can be found to keep competent lifeguards at their posts to ensure swimmers safety at the beaches. 

[Reigntax]

You couldnt make this farce up. 

[steelepulse]

I'm surprised there aren't more deaths happening now.  I was at Nai Harn yesterday and there were a lot of people in the water and the waves and rips were pretty strong for a normal swimmer. 

[quadperfect]

Waiting to hear how they spin this day in phuket.

1 person per day will likely loose there life untill the idiots who canned the pro lifeguards realize they are idiots.

And then they will spin that too.

Duh.

[Jonmarleesco]

Well, I presumed the 'safety official' would recognise his incompetence and add his voice to the call for professional lifeguards. But then I remembered where we are ....

[RichardColeman]

Want a job ? 

Yeah !!

Can you swim ? 

Not well !

OK your hired.

[farcanell]

Two beach incidents in one day... will the powers that be take notice?

 

or will they stick to last weeks assertion that it’s all ok because better weather / swimming conditions are on the way?

 

the local government should be held accountable... even if it is thailand that we are talking about, where policing smoking seems to be a bigger issue than lifeguards.... pathetic and irresponsible

[yellowboat]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Phuket beach safety plunges as surfer rescues ‘safety official’

For a officialdom that values face above actually make a contribution, this will be hard to explain with the old tried and true: "It was all a big misunderstanding".  A life was saved.  That is all that matters. 

[pattayadgw]

Lets ensure that nobody is smoking and dropping cigarette butts on the beach and not worry about having professional lifeguards in place to protect / preserve life.... PATHETIC!!

[Srikcir]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

The beach safety official had taken a lifeguard rescue paddle board out to assist the Chinese tourist, but was unable to carry out the rescue once reaching the tourist, with both the Chinese man and the official struggling to clamber onto the paddle board.

The "safety official" can't swim and tread water?!?

[alfalfa19]

bravo, well done, surfer.