Dangerous surf warning issued as Phuket beaches reopen

By The Phuket News

 

A lifeguard at Naiharn beach plants a warning flag to advise swimmers of dangerous conditions as beaches reopened today (June 9) across the island. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot.

 

PHUKET:-- As all Phuket beaches reopened to visitors today (June 9), lifeguards along the west coast warned all people thinking of going into the water to swim to do so only between the yellow flags, and to avoid entering the water at all where red “No Swimming” flags have been posted due to dangerous rip currents.

 

“Due to the monsoon season the waves are strong and the beach is still polluted with garbage that has washed up from the sea,” Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup told The Phuket News sister paper Khao Phuket.

 

Mayor Chalermluck explained that the municipality has prepared beach areas as best as possible although conditions may not be as ideal as they could or should be.

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/dangerous-surf-warning-issued-as-phuket-beaches-reopen-76339.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2020-06-09

 

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Didn't they have months of time to keep beaches clean from rubbish ? I saw the lifeguards only hanging around in chairs, playing with their phones or sleeping, when walking along the beach.

Strong rip tides? The surf is very mild in Thailand when compared to anything I'm used to in Australia, the United States and even nearby countries like Indonesia. Still, it is the beginning of the monsoon season so weak swimmers should be careful. Also, garbage floating in should have been taken care of. They had more than 2 months to clean it up.

Rubbish comes in on every high tide when the weather comes mainly from the westerly direction.

There needs to be plans to clean beaches daily, as is common elsewhere in the world.

The quality of the beach lifeguard service and those who supervise it can be judged by their care of lifesaving equipment on the most dangerous beach -Karon.   

6 hours ago, drbeach said:

Strong rip tides? The surf is very mild in Thailand when compared to anything I'm used to in Australia, the United States and even nearby countries like Indonesia. Still, it is the beginning of the monsoon season so weak swimmers should be careful. Also, garbage floating in should have been taken care of. They had more than 2 months to clean it up.

We get some really strong rips at this time of year, as for the rubbish, its replenished with ever tide change courtesy of India, Bangladesh,  Myanmar, Thailand etc etc...

 

20 hours ago, drbeach said:

Strong rip tides? The surf is very mild in Thailand when compared to anything I'm used to in Australia, the United States and even nearby countries like Indonesia. Still, it is the beginning of the monsoon season so weak swimmers should be careful. Also, garbage floating in should have been taken care of. They had more than 2 months to clean it up.

"Also, garbage floating in should have been taken care of. They had more than 2 months to clean it up."

Every day garbage is coming in from the sea this time of year.

 

Surf and riptides are not the same, and in many places you don't mention are no riptides at all, sometimes even no sea at all in places where Phuket visitors and expats come from. So yes, people should be warned.