Drowning: 36,000 Thais - many of them children - have died in the last ten years

[webfact]

77kaoded Thai Caption: Drowning is the #2 cause of child death in the world

 

An average of 3,600 Thais have died from drowning every year over the last ten years, stats from the WHO have revealed.

 

Of these an average of 780 per year were children under 15. In 2021 and 2020 the figures were 658 and 540 deaths respectively.

 

ASEAN was the second worst place in the world for child drowning. Worldwide 360,000 people drown a year. Of these children under 15 number 145,000 drowned.

 

It is the second most common cause of death in children after meningitis. 

 

Government spokeswoman Rachada Thanadirek said they had launched the "Thai Kids Can Swim" project chaired by deputy PM Jarin. 

 

Last year 9,311 under 15s took part across 77 provinces in the project to teach basic swimming and safety protocols, reported 77kaoded. 

 

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[JoePai]

About 360 / year

Compare to UK, quote : On average 400 people drown in the UK each year

https://www.nationalwatersafety.org.uk/media/1005/uk-drowning-prevention-strategy.pdf

 

 

[Callmeishmael]

^ Actually the article says 3600 every year, not 360.  The UK and Thailand have about the same population, so people are 9 times more likely to drown in Thailand.

[spidermike007]

When I was young, everyone was taught basic swimming. It takes about 10 minutes to learn. Why the fear of water?

[KhunLA]

Those stats are way off, 'cause of death' for children.    Not having clean water to drink, basic vaccines & antibodies kills quite a few more every year.

 

 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by KhunLA

[BostonRob2]

As pointed out it should say Thailand had 36,000 deaths in a ten year period.

 

Rooster

[jacko45k]

27 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

When I was young, everyone was taught basic swimming. It takes about 10 minutes to learn. Why the fear of water?

Didn't take me 10 minutes.... had a real bxtch teacher at primary school who nearly drowned me... I learned quickly when I got to secondary school and a better teacher!

[cardinalblue]

A huge cultural problem…safety is not a priority at any level for thailand….it’s viewed as a cost with no consideration of benefits…

 

life is cheap here and continues to be…

[Crossy]

38 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

When I was young, everyone was taught basic swimming. It takes about 10 minutes to learn. Why the fear of water?

 

Yeah, I learned during junior school, every other week was swimming at Farnworth Baths. Photo of the baths as it was at the time.

 

 

My Thai grand-kids all swim like fish, evidently their parents are in the minority.

[jacko45k]

7 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Yeah, I learned during junior school, every other week was swimming at Farnworth Baths. Photo of the baths as it was at the time

Are you neighbour of mine? I had the fear of water put into me by a poor teacher at Whitecroft Rd School, we went there from Oxford Grove Junior, before I went to Smithills!

[soi3eddie]

This is such an unnecessary tragedy for the families and country to lose 10 people a day to drowning. It's something I have been close to when a niece of a GF drowned in the family pool. I have also aided at least two Thai children out of their depth in hotel/resort swimming pools whose family were not watching them struggling and going under. Surely the Thai government could run (if they are not already) public safety campaigns on the TV channels telling parents to teach their children to swim. 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by soi3eddie

[Crossy]

11 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Are you neighbour of mine? I had the fear of water put into me by a poor teacher at Whitecroft Rd School, we went there from Oxford Grove Junior, before I went to Smithills!

 

Lived in Little Hulton, went to Wharton County Primary 53.536297840939106, -2.43674730866429 school has hardly changed in nigh on 60 years.

 

Alternative baths were Walkden.

[Crossy]

15 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

Surely the Thai government could run (if they are not already) public safety campaigns on the TV channels telling parents to teach their children to swim. 

 

Many take the Michael out of UK PIFs (Public Information Films) but they really did work: -

 

 

[jacko45k]

13 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Lived in Little Hulton, went to Wharton County Primary 53.536297840939106, -2.43674730866429 school has hardly changed in nigh on 60 years.

 

Alternative baths were Walkden.

It's a small world!

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

An average of 3,600 Thais have died from drowning every year over the last ten years, stats from the WHO have revealed.

And to date nothing has been done to stop this loss of life.

[ikke1959]

there is no education with swimming in normal schools... too expensive or difficult to realize... Here in phetchaburi is a school next to the swimmingpool... but no swimminglessons and the pool is empty everyday 

[RobU]

Teach them how to float and not panic first, then teach them how to swim

[Tug]

A better use of money to fund swimming at Thai schools than subs ships and f35 planes no excuses for this none whatsoever 

[mikebell]

17 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Are you neighbour of mine? I had the fear of water put into me by a poor teacher at Whitecroft Rd School, we went there from Oxford Grove Junior, before I went to Smithills!

I lived in Radcliffe & went for Sunday lunch at a Smithills restaurant (the stately hall one.)

[mikebell]

18 hours ago, Callmeishmael said:

^ Actually the article says 3600 every year, not 360.  The UK and Thailand have about the same population, so people are 9 times more likely to drown in Thailand.

So that's ONE DEAD child a DAY for ten years.  Thais are very slow learners.

 

[jacko45k]

4 hours ago, mikebell said:

I lived in Radcliffe & went for Sunday lunch at a Smithills restaurant (the stately hall one.)

My sister and husband ran a pub in Radcliffe then moved to Clitheroe...you talk of the Coaching House I think!

[Orinoco]

Kids are just pension funds, to most Thais.

One dies just make a new one.

One day they may care. 

 

Ps, 3 in my area last year.  all in the Mekong river.

very sad.

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Orinoco

[chickenslegs]

22 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

Yeah, I learned during junior school, every other week was swimming at Farnworth Baths. Photo of the baths as it was at the time.

 

 

My Thai grand-kids all swim like fish, evidently their parents are in the minority.

One factor in these drownings is the steep and muddy sides of ponds where the kids play. Some of them seem impossible to climb out and I guess that panic and exhaustion eventually overcomes them.

I was just reading Owl's "Diary of a Farang in Isaan" where he posts a photo of a new pond being dug nearby - it's a potential death trap IMO.

[BananaStrong]

I’m a good swimmer compared to Thais.   I remember one swim teacher was creepy, weird indoor pool my mom took me to.  Swam with the high school team for a year, but horrible results.  Good cross training for real sports.  Lol.   Then everyone took steroids and they all looked liked monsters…….lol.

 

but, yeah, you gotta learn.  It’s fun holding your breath underwater and seeing if you can get to 2 minutes.  Not easy for me

 

 

[Paddy 696]

On 1/7/2023 at 3:25 PM, cardinalblue said:

A huge cultural problem…safety is not a priority at any level for thailand….it’s viewed as a cost with no consideration of benefits…

 

life is cheap here and continues to be…

Viet Nam similar horrible figures! 

[mikebell]

18 hours ago, jacko45k said:

My sister and husband ran a pub in Radcliffe then moved to Clitheroe...you talk of the Coaching House I think!

Which pub?  I couldn't remember the Coaching House.  They do Mediaeval Banquets.  I went from Radcliffe to Ramsbottom & taught 35 years in Haslingden (a stone's throw from Clitheroe.)

[Dogmatix]

On 1/7/2023 at 2:52 PM, soi3eddie said:

This is such an unnecessary tragedy for the families and country to lose 10 people a day to drowning. It's something I have been close to when a niece of a GF drowned in the family pool. I have also aided at least two Thai children out of their depth in hotel/resort swimming pools whose family were not watching them struggling and going under. Surely the Thai government could run (if they are not already) public safety campaigns on the TV channels telling parents to teach their children to swim. 

 

Good idea but you're assuming the parents can swim.

[decline]

I wonder how many are actually murder