French man drowns at Koh Samet beach

[webfact]

Picture: Manager

 

Manager reported that Pol Capt Thawat Norsingha of the Muang Rayong police was called after a foreigner was washed up dead on Mae Ram Pheung beach in Taphong sub-district yesterday late afternoon.

 

Officials from the Koh Samet national park had already been alerted by a shopowner. 

 

The media said that the man was French.

 

The shopkeeper said that he had seen the man arrive alone on a motorcycle. He heard him cry out when he got into difficulty as high waves washed him out.

 

Later he was washed up already dead on the beach and the shopkeeper informed the park staff. 

 

The shopkeeper said that red flags were flying warning people not to swim.

 

The man was unidentified though it was thought he was a frequent swimmer there. The body was taken by rescue services to Rayong Hospital as police made inquiries about a missing person. 

 

Manager did not explain in their story how they knew that the man was French, ASEAN Now notes. 

 

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[Tarteso]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

red flags were flying warning people not to swim.

RIP French man

 

 

Red flags are not only frequently seen in protests, demonstrations or a symbol of the working class.  It is a serious warning of prohibition of bathing on the beaches

 

 

 

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

strong swimmer here and scuba diver.

i never swim in any seas now

far too dangerous for multiple reasons

strictly stress free swimming pool only

[internationalism]

what did this shopkeeper do before body was washed on the beach?

[PETERTHEEATER]

1 hour ago, internationalism said:

what did this shopkeeper do before body was washed on the beach?

He alerted the authorities......

[internationalism]

no, he did not.

After body was washed up only then he called the park office

[Paul DS]

Sad....foolish man when red flags were up. RIP

[Sametboy2019]

Seen this commotion on my way home yesterday.

Wondered what was happening. Must of been a hundred Thai onlookers when the Ambulance was there.

Can't believe he went swimming. The water was really rough at that time.

Not Ko Samet beach!

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, internationalism said:

what did this shopkeeper do before body was washed on the beach?

Not a lot it seems.

[Randy99]

Yesterday I walked down the beach where the man parked his moto and where his body was found.  There were no red flags yesterday but this morning there were.

[n8sail]

Looks like Haad Mae Rumpheung, definitely not Koh Samet, there are no beaches with sand that color on Koh Samet except for the area near the pier which would have only very small waves right now.  Koh Samet and the Eastern end of Mae Rumpheung are both part of Laem Ya National Park.  There is no 'Koh Samet' national park.

Haad Mae Rumpheung is known to be very dangerous, several Thais drown there every year.   I kitesurf there and have nearly drowned myself a couple times LOL...   but I'm a very good swimmer and understand rip currents and have spent hundreds of hours in the water at that beach.

[huangnon]

4 hours ago, n8sail said:

Looks like Haad Mae Rumpheung, definitely not Koh Samet, there are no beaches with sand that color on Koh Samet except for the area near the pier which would have only very small waves right now.  Koh Samet and the Eastern end of Mae Rumpheung are both part of Laem Ya National Park.  There is no 'Koh Samet' national park.

Haad Mae Rumpheung is known to be very dangerous, several Thais drown there every year.   I kitesurf there and have nearly drowned myself a couple times LOL...   but I'm a very good swimmer and understand rip currents and have spent hundreds of hours in the water at that beach.

Correct. Mae Rumpheung beach has always had a rep for seriously strong undertow, and a lot of people have died there.

 

Lazy reporting from the Manager. Koh Samet has enough problems attracting people now as it is..

[Randy99]

8 hours ago, n8sail said:

Looks like Haad Mae Rumpheung, definitely not Koh Samet, there are no beaches with sand that color on Koh Samet except for the area near the pier which would have only very small waves right now.  Koh Samet and the Eastern end of Mae Rumpheung are both part of Laem Ya National Park.  There is no 'Koh Samet' national park.

Haad Mae Rumpheung is known to be very dangerous, several Thais drown there every year.   I kitesurf there and have nearly drowned myself a couple times LOL...   but I'm a very good swimmer and understand rip currents and have spent hundreds of hours in the water at that beach.

I think there is a Ko Samet National Park.  I will take a photo of the sign tomorrow and post it 

[OJAS]

9 hours ago, n8sail said:

Looks like Haad Mae Rumpheung, definitely not Koh Samet, there are no beaches with sand that color on Koh Samet except for the area near the pier which would have only very small waves right now.  Koh Samet and the Eastern end of Mae Rumpheung are both part of Laem Ya National Park.  There is no 'Koh Samet' national park.

Haad Mae Rumpheung is known to be very dangerous, several Thais drown there every year.   I kitesurf there and have nearly drowned myself a couple times LOL...   but I'm a very good swimmer and understand rip currents and have spent hundreds of hours in the water at that beach.

 

1 hour ago, Randy99 said:

I think there is a Ko Samet National Park.  I will take a photo of the sign tomorrow and post it 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khao_Laem_Ya–Mu_Ko_Samet_National_Park

[n8sail]

15 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khao_Laem_Ya–Mu_Ko_Samet_National_Park

I stand corrected, thank you!  I should have known, I've been into the main office where this sign is several times to ask the 'grand poo-bah' of the park for permission to kitesurf.   He's very nice, but I have about 50% rate of approval for getting to kite.  Even on perfect days with basically zero risk of drowning.  It's completely 'up-to-him'.