A man was fished out of the Surin Beach surf today – whilst on-duty lifesavers watched

By The Thaiger

 

 

PHOTOS: Pavida Anantarasmi

 

Witnesses at Surin Beach today watched in bemused confusion when a man, who was in difficulty whilst swimming off Surin Beach today, was helped back to shore. But not by one of the lifeguards on duty at the beach who stood at the shore and watched the rescue take place.

 

The incident happened around 11am when a man, later identified as from Lebanon, was swimming off the beach in an area patrolled by the employed lifeguards. There was no designated swimming area set aside by the lifeguards.

 

A local surfer, from The Philippines, noticed that the man was in difficulty and rushed to his assistance. The paid lifeguards watched from the shoreline and helped the man once he was back to shore.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/a-man-was-fished-out-of-the-surin-beach-surf-today-whilst-on-duty-lifesavers-watched

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2018-07-24

Maybe they were on a lunch break... or didn't want to get the hair wet, too deep waters? who knows, at least they seems to have lifeguards on duty...

What do people expect?

When non-swimmers are employed as lifeguards. 

I wonder who, if anyone, vets the recruits, or is it some government official with no SLS skills/accreditation let alone water sense?

 

They've probably been reading from the British Rail Book of Good Excuses: Wrong type of water.

 

The lifeguard wasn't the first to spot trouble and respond.   Implication being he's negligent, untrained, etc.

 

On the other hand, the surfer, I presume with a board, had the guy and was bringing him in.  No need to put more bodies in the water at that point. 

A former lifeguard at the beach made the comment that the new lifeguards “don’t like to swim as they don’t have confidence or training.”

“They didn’t have any of the required equipment to attempt a rescue.”

 

Un - be - liev - able...........What is the point in employing them then......

Is this another World Class International Family Resort with safety on the same level as that other world renowned resort about 140km south of BKK? Families will be torn between the two.

9 hours ago, colinneil said:

What do people expect?

When non-swimmers are employed as lifeguards. 

Colin.....they were given rubber rings to wear in case of emergencies like this.....thai,s think of everything U know.....

bladdy pathetic lifeguards

Myself I hate beaches,too wet and sandy.i can see tomorrow's news,thai life guards rescue a  Lebanese man and philippine surfer from drowning.

2 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

A former lifeguard at the beach made the comment that the new lifeguards “don’t like to swim as they don’t have confidence or training.”

“They didn’t have any of the required equipment to attempt a rescue.”

 

Un - be - liev - able...........What is the point in employing them then......

So that the company that actually has the contract to supply lifeguards makes a big profit?

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

Maybe they were on a lunch break... or didn't want to get the hair wet, too deep waters? who knows, at least they seems to have lifeguards on duty...

This is what you get when you hire people ,not by their ability but via who they know that told you to hire them. Mabe some of them can;t even swim in a child's pool.

38 minutes ago, nahkit said:

So that the company that actually has the contract to supply lifeguards makes a big profit?

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

What do people expect?

When non-swimmers are employed as lifeguards. 

Lol... it’s on the job training... they just got schooled on board rescue techniques.... which is serendipitous, because, during September, just in time for high season....

 

 

 

I heard one say "salt water discolors your shorts"

'A former lifeguard at the beach made the comment that the new lifeguards “don’t like to swim as they don’t have confidence or training ... They didn’t have any of the required equipment to attempt a rescue.”'

 

If we weren't in LoS, I'd feel compelled to ask what the hell they were doing on the beach in the first place?

 

But ... we are in LoS ... 

17 minutes ago, Redline said:

I heard one say "salt water discolors your shorts"

That probably wasn't salt water causing the discolouration, given the level of panic.

 

Watching the screen on their Phones rather than taking any interest in watching events unfold me thinks.

This video pretty much sums up the current lifeguard situation here in Phuket. Why did the Phuket Or Bor Tor hire a Bangkok company, who has no experienced surf life guards? In fact they're afraid to go in the water! We know why, but when are they going to be held accountable? While chasing a crock around, who hasn't killed anyone, the surf has claimed many lives and soon more! TIT, I suppose. Wake the F up!    https://thethaiger.com/video-podcasts/is-phukets-current-beach-lifeguard-situation-sustainable