Opinion: The day my best friend drowned on a Phuket day tour

The Phuket News

 

All that remains of Mr Patel's best friend Shahzad Warsani is his death certificate, after he drowned while on a snorkelling tour booked in Phuket.

 

A tourist to Phuket implores the Royal Thai Government to take steps to improve marine safety after he is forced to watch his best friend die from drowning while on a popular speedboat day-trip tour to the islands of Phang Nga Bay.

 

 

I am writing in regards to my concerns related to safety and emergency situations in Thai tourist regions.

 

I, Danish Pyarali Patel, and my best friend Shahzad Sultan Ali Warsani visited Thailand in March for a holiday in Phuket. On March 24 we went on a day trip. We booked a very popular one-day trip to see Phi Phi Island and Khai Nai Island by speedboat. We booked that with one of many local tour companies in Phuket.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/opinion-the-day-my-best-friend-drowned-on-a-phuket-day-tour-66902.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-04-26

Those who cannot swim and have never been taught to use a snorkel should not go on these tours.

Before commenting, I recommend reading the whole article. 

 

Mr Patel offers some realistic and practical suggestions how to improve the safety in this area.

 

Quote

Thai government constantly works on citizens’ and tourists’ safety

Yes, everyone is in the safe hands of a National Council for Peace and Order. In fact, a watchman is number two here.

11 minutes ago, oilinki said:

Before commenting, I recommend reading the whole article. 

 

Mr Patel offers some realistic and practical suggestions how to improve the safety in this area.

 

 

I did take the time to read tha article and yes there were some realistic and practical suggestions how to improve the safety in this area.

 

I agree with him however IMHO they will be completely ignored because nobody wants to take the responsibilty and definitely no business wants to "waste" good profits on something like this.

 

I am not bashing Thais in general, but more the national and local government and the businesses involved.

 

Thai people generally are willing to pitch in and help but money is the god for business and it is cheaper and has less responsibility if they pay on a per case basis rather than do the responsible and moral thing.

Why seek to blame the Thais -- no one forces non or very poor swimmers to jump into the water with a snorkel that they do not know how to use.

5 minutes ago, Swimman said:

Why seek to blame the Thais -- no one forces non or very poor swimmers to jump into the water with a snorkel that they do not know how to use.

 

I am not blaming ALL Thais but with a business comes responsibility and if you don't take the responsibility, only the money, then you shouldn't be in business.

42 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

I am not blaming ALL Thais but with a business comes responsibility and if you don't take the responsibility, only the money, then you shouldn't be in business.

So what are you suggesting? All those wanting to go on these tours sign to state they are competent swimmers with those refusing to sign being denied the trip? Or ..... ??

I am sorry but Safety and Thailand are two words that really do not go together.

2 hours ago, oilinki said:

Before commenting, I recommend reading the whole article. 

 

Mr Patel offers some realistic and practical suggestions how to improve the safety in this area.

 

Surely knowing that your best friend cannot swim would be a good start...and suggesting he not go into the water.

Here are some safe tourist pastimes.

Strap a parachute to your back with dodgy looking worn straps and get hauled up to 150 feet at 40 miles an hour over the sea. Wearing a lifejacket 4 times too big.

Hire a jet ski and travel at 60 mph on water with bone jarring thumps that will loosen your fillings and crush your vertebrae. Wearing a lifejacket 4 times too big.

Go swimming in deep water and 4 mtr waves when you cannot swim a stroke. With no swimming aids.

Ride a zip line on untested cables again with a dodgy harness and shackles.

Bungee jump and get severe whiplash again with a dodgy harness.

Ride a rubber tube pulled by a speed boat at 40 mph and then suffer whiplash at 5g when you get pinged off wearing a lifejacket 4 times too big for you.

Hire a motorbike with no license or insurance having never ridden one in your whole life before without a helmet.

Climb greasy slippery waterfalls barefoot and suffer the crippling injuries as you crash down on jaggy rocks X mtrs below.

Swim in shark infested waters.

 

If you are stupid enough to pay for these activities you may also pay the ultimate price.

 

Don't worry...Crowd funding will pay to get your mangled buckled remains home...maybe?

No doubt Thai safety procedures are below western standards but people really need to take some personal responsibility.

I have never been a strong swimmer and consequently have always been extremely cautious in water , this unfortunate gentleman however took a chance he probably should not have.

I realise that sounds somewhat callous but the blame game gets a bit old sometimes.

Why would someone go snorkeling in rough water if they know they can't swim?

 

 

 

4 hours ago, oilinki said:

Before commenting, I recommend reading the whole article. 

 

Mr Patel offers some realistic and practical suggestions how to improve the safety in this area.

 

Read the full article, and agree, he does come with some good suggestions.

 

He makes one major mistake though in his reasoning. His best friend did not die because nobody was watching him, his best friend died because he went snorkeling without knowing how to swim.

Don't these tours require snorkelers to wear life jackets?  

7 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

Don't these tours require snorkelers to wear life jackets?  

They might but that does not prevent someone(a non or poor swimmer) inhaling water from a snorkel they don't know how to use

1 hour ago, steelepulse said:

Don't these tours require snorkelers to wear life jackets?  

Yes, they do. Still some people drown.

2 hours ago, Swimman said:

They might but that does not prevent someone(a non or poor swimmer) inhaling water from a snorkel they don't know how to use

Correct.  But that's quite a bit different than posters here jumping to the conclusion he can't swim and drowned due to not being able to swim. If I were to read between the lines, this poor fellow did inhale water as the opinion letter mentions the water got quite choppy.  Nothing about the guy sinking below the surface was mentioned.

26 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

Correct.  But that's quite a bit different than posters here jumping to the conclusion he can't swim and drowned due to not being able to swim. If I were to read between the lines, this poor fellow did inhale water as the opinion letter mentions the water got quite choppy.  Nothing about the guy sinking below the surface was mentioned.

You're confused, nobody said he sunk. If people know how to swim they will have a reasonable amount of confidence in the water, and can easily overcome a bit of swell.

If someone doesn't know how to swim a bit of water inhalation can lead to panic and more water inhalation.

If the water is deep  (can’t stand with head above water) life jackets should be mandatory. The tour operator should explain how to use mask and snorkel and they should have someone watching those with little or no experience. 

1st world struggles with keeping everybody safe and often take off leaving the odd snorkeler behind to drown

 

Snap out of it guys. This is a third world country ! never ever expect anyone to save you . Know your limitations before engaging in high risk activity and yes that includes snorkeling if you cant swim

9 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

I am not blaming ALL Thais but with a business comes responsibility and if you don't take the responsibility, only the money, then you shouldn't be in business.

Oh please.

Businesses all around the world will take money off you at the drop of a hat as has been the case since the merchants if Venice. 

Right now in oz, ( a highly regulated economy with a myriad of safeguards ) there is a royal commission into the banking and finance sectors.

Dead people's estates getting charged for advice. Crooks being hired to sell finance advice on behalf of banks.  Shares of the banks are dropping like stones, ceo's getting fired. 

The gfc, not that long ago demonstrated clearly that businesses dont give a fig who they rip off and then go for hand outs to bail them out. 

In a battle between profit and ethics guess who wins every time?.

To imply only thai businesses do it is preposterous. 

A tragic event has occurred. Lets not make it another excuse to have a go at another facet of the thai community

14 hours ago, stevenl said:

You're confused, nobody said he sunk. If people know how to swim they will have a reasonable amount of confidence in the water, and can easily overcome a bit of swell.

If someone doesn't know how to swim a bit of water inhalation can lead to panic and more water inhalation.

Not confused in the slightest.  Fact of the matter is, many posters said he can't swim ( not knowing if he could or couldn't) and implying he sunk.  OP implying he took in too much water as he clearly states the water was rough.  

 

 

19 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

Fact of the matter is, many posters said he can't swim ( not knowing if he could or couldn't)

 

Fact of the matter. Written on a police form

"The waves were a bit rough and he was unstable in the water while snorkelling at Khai Island." 

 

He being "unstable" in the water indicates he was either not a confident swimmer or couldn't swim. He may have been wearing a life jacket but if one is not confident in the water that may not help.

 

One's own personal safety is one's own responsibility. It should not be delegated to others.  Sure they might be trained etc but ultimately the decision is one's own.  

 

2 hours ago, steelepulse said:

Not confused in the slightest.  Fact of the matter is, many posters said he can't swim ( not knowing if he could or couldn't) and implying he sunk.  OP implying he took in too much water as he clearly states the water was rough.  

No. Drowning and sinking are not the same. Mentioning drowning doesn't imply sinking.

Really, drowning and sinking aren't the same?  Of course they're not.  However, with most every poster saying he can't swim, what does that imply?  Does that imply they think he swallowed too much water via snorkel, or does that imply posters think he went below the surface and couldn't breathe? Pretty clear to me, but if you want to keep arguing a moot point, knock yourself out.

31 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

Really, drowning and sinking aren't the same?  Of course they're not.  However, with most every poster saying he can't swim, what does that imply?  Does that imply they think he swallowed too much water via snorkel, or does that imply posters think he went below the surface and couldn't breathe? Pretty clear to me, but if you want to keep arguing a moot point, knock yourself out.

Since he drowned and was most likely at the surface wearing a life jacket you're right, moot point.