Government Advises Vigilance to Prevent Child Drownings

[snoop1130]

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The government is cautioning parents and guardians not to allow children unsupervised access to water bodies, as this could lead to unforeseen incidents and potentially fatal drownings.

 

Karom Phonphonklang, Deputy Government Spokesperson, revealed that with many schools nearing the end of their term, there is concern that children staying at home may not be under the same supervision as when attending school. This could lead to children enticing each other to play in natural water bodies, where they risk slipping, falling, or drowning.

 

Karom advised parents and guardians to closely supervise their children, emphasizing that children should not be allowed to play in the water unsupervised, even if it is a familiar location near their homes.

 

He added that if parents take their children to work near water bodies, they should ensure the children are within easy reach. The Deputy Government Spokesperson also called for community cooperation in addressing the issue, monitoring at-risk water areas, installing warning signs, and providing locally available flotation devices for emergency use.

 

Furthermore, he mentioned that tourist spots with water bodies and seas should have lifeguards on duty at all times.

 

Karom discussed preventive measures for drowning among young children and older children as follows: For young children under the age of 5, it is recommended to keep them away from water bodies as they might slip and fall in. They should not retrieve items that have fallen into the water themselves but ask an adult for assistance and avoid bending or peering into water sources, puddles, or buckets, as they might fall headfirst.

 

For older children, the emphasis is on prohibiting them from playing in the water unsupervised. If someone is seen falling into the water, they should not jump in to help, as they might be overpowered by the distressed individual, leading to both potentially drowning. Instead, they should shout for help, call for assistance, and dial the emergency medical team at 1669 or contact the nearest hospital. 

 

They should also throw nearby objects to the person in the water to help them stay afloat and extend objects like sticks, ropes, or clothing for the person to grab and be pulled to safety.

 

By Naark Rojanasuvan

 

Source: NNT 2024-03-01

 

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[Crossy]

Learning to swim should be high on the list, even basic floating and keeping the right way up would keep them alive long enough for someone to notice.

 

We are lucky in that the Thai grandkids all swim like fish and adore using our small pool, it's actually unclear exactly where they learned to swim but they do live near the river.

 

Sadly, when we have other family visiting the youngsters all need floaters and constant adult supervision, and they don't seem to get any more confident in the water over time.

 

Get them learning whilst in school!!

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

Learning to swim should be high on the list,

Very true but still not enough.

Folk do not appreciate the strength of the sea, rips, currents.

We lost two lads the other day. Both 15 years old.

Five went swimming even though there were red flags flying.

Three came back alive.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1321182-two-teenagers-drown-off-koh-samui/#comment-18730858

 

Edited March 1 by Tropicalevo

[scottiejohn]

In August, (2020) the World Health Organization (WHO) was reported as saying that Thailand is still "number one" for deaths by drowning in ASEAN among children. In fact, the WHO says that the country’s death by drowning rate is twice as high as the world's average.

Drowning still a huge problem for Thai kids | The ASEAN Post

[richard_smith237]

When I read headlines like this I want to throttle anyone in a position of decision making power who has the hubris to make such an announcement, as if the mere announcement alone is sufficient... It isn't !!!!... 

 

In its most simplistic terms there are three areas of safety where Thai Authorities / Thai Government is letting its citizens down. 

- Water Safety

- Electrical Safety

- Road Safety

 

In all of these aspects, far more could be done and inroads could be made into educating the public using very simple measures. 

 

It would be extremely easy to for 'public awareness' videos to be made and broadcasted throughout the day, particularly at key periods when the family (most people anyway) are watching TV.

 

Additionally - Add 'Safety' to the education curriculum...    (in the US they have Drivers Ed)... 

 

Most people will never use Trigonometry or need to know how to draw etc... BUT, nearly everyone will drive a vehicle, they will be exposed to open water, and will be exposed to electrical safety risks..... 

 

Put Safety in Schools and on TV....  take active steps to educate society and help them help themselves...    

 

Enough bleeting on with useless announcements - no one pays attention other than those of us on these fora recognising the hypocrisy. 

 

 

 

 

[dinsdale]

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

For older children, the emphasis is on prohibiting them from playing in the water unsupervised. If someone is seen falling into the water, they should not jump in to help, as they might be overpowered by the distressed individual, leading to both potentially drowning. Instead, they should shout for help, call for assistance, and dial the emergency medical team at 1669 or contact the nearest hospital

My guess is this is a direct lift for water safety from elswhere on the net. It really bears no resemblance to reality. This time of year the khlongs (canals) will be full of kids.

Edited March 1 by dinsdale

[dinsdale]

32 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Very true but still not enough.

Folk do not appreciate the strength of the sea, rips, currents.

We lost two lads the other day. Both 15 years old.

Five went swimming even though there were red flags flying.

Three came back alive.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1321182-two-teenagers-drown-off-koh-samui/#comment-18730858

 

The sea yes but also rivers and khlongs. All are dangerous. Swimming pools for the little ones.

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The government is cautioning parents and guardians not to allow children unsupervised access to water bodies, as this could lead to unforeseen incidents and potentially fatal drownings.

Why not mandate swimming lessons at schools ?

[jacko45k]

13 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Why not mandate swimming lessons at schools ?

In the muddy pond at the back?

Actually it might be an idea for some Pattaya/Phuket/HuaHin hotels to open up their pools to school use once a week. 

Edited March 1 by jacko45k

[hotchilli]

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

In the muddy pond at the back?

Actually it might be an idea for some Pattaya/Phuket/HuaHin hotels to open up their pools to school use once a week. 

A damned good idea, hotels, guest houses, army camps etc etc could all charge a small fee to schools to allow school swimming lessons.

[KhunLA]

When did parents, stop being parents ?  Why are schools tasked with teaching children the basics of living.   Firs thing I did when on holiday with daughter was teach her to swim and float in a pool.   

 

Schools need to teach manners, sex education, and now, some folks lean toward have sex with the same sex partner.  Didn't our parents teach us a few things, and the rest we picked up on our own.

 

If waiting for the gov't to help you, you're already too late, as with all things, and that's if they ever get pass of just talking about it.

 

What happen to people taking responsibility for themselves and kids.

[Kwaibill]

Always been a concern of mine, and aghast at the number of drownings I see in the Thai media. As a former Red Cross Water Safety Instructor it especially horrifies me.

Do they not have similar programs here? A dearth of visible evidence suggests not. Ring buoys for example should be available at all swim venues. The swimming pool in my village e.g. has no signage or access control beyond the ubiquitous orange cones across the car park entry at “ closed” times.

When  building a pool in the US  it is usually required by statute to control access via some barrier such as a chain link enclosure. One of my PT jobs was to lifeguard a condo pool for a few hours in the AM before the regular guard came on duty.

Opening such positions to foreigners, even as volunteers, might have a salutary impact. But TIT. Thai people COULD do such if there were any mechanism to do so, but it is evidently easier to just have more children than preserve the ones on hand. One of the few instances along with traffic safety issues where I will engage in “Thai bashing”.

[Barnet1900]

13 hours ago, dinsdale said:

The sea yes but also rivers and khlongs. All are dangerous. Swimming pools for the little ones.

My thoughts entirely. The rivers out in the sticks are often the source of such fatalities. Every year the kids dive in and inevitably some don't come out. Very sad. 

 

I'd like to see more done at school level but that would involve more investment which the government won't do.

 

At adult level, if you can call them that, many such incidents of death caused by accidents, whether it be on the road, drowning or freak things like walking into an exposed electric cable do nothing to teach them to change their behaviour. 

 

They could cause an accident in an empty room.

[Gandtee]

16 hours ago, Crossy said:

Learning to swim should be high on the list, even basic floating and keeping the right way up would keep them alive long enough for someone to notice.

 

We are lucky in that the Thai grandkids all swim like fish and adore using our small pool, it's actually unclear exactly where they learned to swim but they do live near the river.

 

Sadly, when we have other family visiting the youngsters all need floaters and constant adult supervision, and they don't seem to get any more confident in the water over time.

 

Get them learning whilst in school!!

 

 

In the article there is no mention of swimming lessons. Over the years I have ensured that my nieces and nephews can swim by teaching them myself. A degree in higher education is useless if you are in dep water and can't swim. I have repeatedly suggested in various forums that the military open up their sports facilities, including swimming pools to schools in their area for a couple of mornings a week perhaps. Hotels and resorts could do the same and be reimbursed for the facility. An average of four children a day drown here in Thailand. Where is the Sports Minister on this  subject. Most developed countries have swimming lessons in their schools curriculums.

[dinsdale]

Many people can't swim world wide. Just have to look at foreinger drownings every year. 

[Gandtee]

42 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Many people can't swim world wide. Just have to look at foreinger drownings every year. 

What's your point?

[Crossy]

Would UK style Public Information Films work here?

 

A bit passé in the 21st century but I'm sure they saved lives in the day.