Phuket beach drowning deaths double in wake of lifeguard contract failure

[rooster59]

Phuket beach drowning deaths double in wake of lifeguard contract failure

By The Phuket News

 

A red ’no swimming’ flag in tatters flutters in the breeze at Patong Beach as a bather enters the water for a swim on Wednesday (Sept 26). Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot
 

PHUKET: Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong will conclude his term as Governor of Phuket tomorrow (Sept 30), leaving behind a legacy of lifeguard protection failure at the island’s popular tourism beaches.

 

Incoming Phuket Governor Pakkapong Tawipat will officially take up the post as the island’s top-ranking official on Monday (Oct 1) to face a mounting beach drowning death toll nearly double that of last year, when the beaches had comprehensive lifeguard protection by trained lifeguards armed with proper equipment by a single organisation.

 

This past week alone has seen a flurry of deadly surf-danger incidents, leaving one tourist dead, another comatose on life support pending a decision by his relatives and one American who entered the surf drunk at night but later safely recovered.

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-beach-drowning-deaths-double-in-wake-of-lifeguard-contract-failure-68796.php#CVAJtqKysE22Xhb0.97

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-09-29

[Andrew65]

....because the "budget" to pay them had been stolen, basically?!????

[steelepulse]

So besides the "irregularities" found in the bidding process and whatever possible sentence that may or may not happen from that, these BKK clowns that won the contract should also be up for more serious charges due to negligence and incompetence.

[Mikeasq60]

I didn't know they even had life guards in Phuket, honestly!

[zaZa9]

There is ONE surviving life guard for all of Kamala Beach , and 2 on Surin.

 

Its said they are not paid , but get along setting up deckchairs that are banned ( 55 )  and renting out friends jetskis.

 

Its a miserable state of affairs for one of Thailands wealthiest provinces.

[RichardColeman]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong will conclude his term as Governor of Phuket tomorrow (Sept 30), leaving behind a legacy of lifeguard protection failure at the island’s popular tourism beaches.

.....................but a nice retirement 'fund'

[NamKangMan]

 

As usual, and rightly so, expats living here know very well why there are no lifeguards here, and it's disgraceful.

 

In the future, the Chinese will come to learn, in the same way the western tourists have, that Phuket is all about maximum money in, for minimum money out, and that leaves safety standards and facilities, as well as law enforcement, at near ZERO.

 

Then, when that time comes, who will be the tourists coming to Phuket????????

 

People are needlessly dying here, while the Phuket Thai elite fill their pockets. They have blood on their hands. 

[Lucky mike]

No care or responsibility?

[Jimi007]

I been following this debacle since it started. Well actually I've been following the yearly debacle by the Phuket Or Bor Tor's office in hiring and contact renewals for the past twelve years. This past contract just reeked of corruption. Before all the beaches that had lifeguards were under the same contract that was always approved late and paid by the Phuket Or Bor Tor's office. Now just certain beaches were covered by a Bangkok company with no life guarding experience was hired and the rest have to hire their own lifeguards, yet the budget was larger for the few beaches that are now "covered" compared to all the beaches before. Many local cities are now having to pay for what they can afford.

 

I wonder why the Governor's no longer publishes drowning and road deaths on the island?

 

Edited September 30, 2018 by Jimi007

[NamKangMan]

12 hours ago, Jimi007 said:

I been following this debacle since it started. Well actually I've been following the yearly debacle by the Phuket Or Bor Tor's office in hiring and contact renewals for the past twelve years. This past contract just reeked of corruption. Before all the beaches that had lifeguards were under the same contract that was always approved late and paid by the Phuket Or Bor Tor's office. Now just certain beaches were covered by a Bangkok company with no life guarding experience was hired and the rest have to hire their own lifeguards, yet the budget was larger for the few beaches that are now "covered" compared to all the beaches before. Many local cities are now having to pay for what they can afford.

 

I wonder why the Governor's no longer publishes drowning and road deaths on the island?

 

 

"I wonder why the Governor's no longer publishes drowning and road deaths on the island?" - The Governor can refuse to publish the stats all he likes, however, in countries all around the world, people are reading about their fellow countrymen coming to Phuket, and going home in a body bags.

 

The usual Phuket style of "deny, deny, deny" can't stop Embassy / Consulate stats, which are then published in countries where the stats can not be altered, or withheld.

 

Phuket's infrastructure is crumbling under the mass cheap tourism model, thus, the beaches, and the water, are becoming filthy, and the current tourism market is not interested in the sex industry. 

 

Add to this, close to ZERO safety standards, and the writing is on the wall for the the current tourist market to walk away from Phuket in the same way the western tourism market did.

 

Then, you have the fact the current tourism market spends no where near the same as the previous western tourism market, and you can only see Phuket sliding further down the S bend.

 

Edited September 30, 2018 by NamKangMan

[pattayadgw]

It's time the Government stepped in and put a stop to this nonsense.

Each beach to be appraised as each beach is different in length.

 

Work out how many lifeguard posts are to be fitted along each beach.

Work out how many lifeguards will be required at each beach per post.

Write up a list of lifesaving equipment to be provided at each lifeguard post.

 

Whoever is the local authority in charge of that particular west coast beach will / must provide xxxx amount of Baht every year in their budget to provide training for lifeguards, monthly salary for lifeguards, provide international standard lifesaving equipment per lifeguard post.  

 

You can't tell me these municipalities don't have the money for this!!  

 

This is a disgrace and its not rocket science to fix it.