A foreign tourist was rescued from heavy seas at Patong Beach, Phuket, after ignoring red flags and lifeguards' whistles, saying he was a strong swimmer. The rescue took place on the evening of 20 August at the popular beach in Kathu district. The tourist was brought safely back to shore after waves and currents swept him out and he was unable to return by himself. Rescue team battled through rough surf Lifeguards used a jet ski and a yellow rescue board to reach the tourist in the rough conditions. Red flags were flying along the beach, indicating that swimming was prohibited because of the danger from strong waves and currents. Despite this, the tourist entered the sea and dismissed the warnings. His confidence quickly turned into trouble when he lost control in the surf and was carried away from the shore. At the time, many visitors were still walking, taking photographs and relaxing on the beach. Some lifeguards were also clearing the area and packing away equipment after their shift had ended, although red flags remained in place along the beachfront. For foreign visitors and residents, the incident is a timely reminder that beach warning flags in Thailand are not simply advisory. A red flag means visitors should stay out of the water altogether, regardless of swimming ability or how calm the sea may appear from the shore. Lifeguards say warnings are ignored daily Thanphisit Saengrat, known as "Faem", a lifeguard stationed near Bangla Beach, said he has worked on safety at Patong Beach for almost three years and encounters tourists ignoring warnings almost every day. He said there had already been two similar cases that day. Some visitors did not understand why they could not enter the water when red flags were clearly displayed and lifeguards were repeatedly signalling them to stay out. "Some people only want to swim and do not pay attention to warnings," he said. "Sometimes tourists who are intoxicated also enter the water, which increases the risk." Patong Beach is about three kilometres long and has around 10 operational points, each staffed by roughly three or four lifeguards. Thanphisit said there had been two drowning cases in the past month in the Bangla Beach area alone, with another team providing safety cover at night. Strong swimmers can still be caught out Lifeguards said their most serious calls involve people who are exhausted or have disappeared beneath the water. Teams must take rescue equipment and jet skis out immediately, then bring casualties ashore for CPR if necessary. All staff have basic resuscitation training. Thanphisit warned visitors not to assume that being a capable swimmer will keep them safe. Alongside surface waves, Patong can experience rip currents that pull people rapidly away from the beach. "Do not think that because you can swim well, you will survive," he said, urging tourists to treat a red flag as the highest-level warning and not enter the sea. Pictures courtesy of Amarin Join the discussion? 22 August 2026
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