American tourist and Thai girlfriend drown in Phuket

[simon43]

Mao Khao beach is not a good place to swim. I lived in that area for many years, walked along that beach thousands of times, but would only ever sit in the shallows.  The beach slopes down quickly in the water, definitely not a safe place to swim, (and also very quiet with little chance of calling out to others for help).

[impulse]

7 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

But he wasn't your brother. He went into the water ignoring the Red Flags, as did his 'girl' friend. If if if!

 

You guessing, or do you have CCTV?

 

Because nobody ever gets murdered in Phuket...  It would be bad for tourism.

 

 

[KannikaP]

3 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

You guessing, or do you have CCTV?

 

Because nobody ever gets murdered in Phuket...  It would be bad for tourism.

 

 

Yeh, OK!

[simon43]

On 6/21/2024 at 6:38 PM, impulse said:

 

You guessing, or do you have CCTV?

 

Because nobody ever gets murdered in Phuket...  It would be bad for tourism.

 

 

An interesting fact is that a Swedish girl was murdered at the same spot on Mai Khao beach about 12-15 years ago - I was a police volunteer at the time and attended the scene.  A local man was arrested for the murder.

[impulse]

24 minutes ago, simon43 said:

An interesting fact is that a Swedish girl was murdered at the same spot on Mai Khao beach about 12-15 years ago - I was a police volunteer at the time and attended the scene.  A local man was arrested for the murder.

 

Honest to gosh, I don't claim it was murder.  I don't know.  I just think it should be investigated before calling the guy stupid for swimming under a red flag warning.  Especially since they found bruises on him. Maybe he wasn't swimming.

 

I've had the crap beat out of me, body surfing and boogie boarding hundreds of times.  I have never had bruises if it was a sandy beach.

 

Edit:  And I'd add that the investigation would be more credible if it was done by an entity that wasn't under pressure to protect tourism.

 

Edited June 23 by impulse

[Ben Zioner]

On 6/20/2024 at 3:29 PM, Tropicalevo said:

What with the Russian drowning on Sunday

 

In related news, a Russian man drowned on Sunday, June 16 after swimming in the sea at Surin Beach in Phuket

 

and a few close encounters yesterday, people in Phuket need to take care.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1330227-tourists’-phuket-beach-fun-turns-into-life-or-death-drama/

 

Russians count?

[Robert Paulson]

These stories never make sense. Nobody saw them? And the other story the guy was mysteriously swept out to sea? And then what? People just watched? They didn’t call someone with a boat or go out to get the guy themselves? This isn’t spelunking, for a good swimmer there is absolutely zero problem to swim out to someone who is in need of help. 
 

Makes zero sense. 

[Robert Paulson]

So let me get this straight, and forgive me for discussing the previous drowning… the guy was saving his kid and wife or something, the rescuers got to the wife and child. Ok good job. And I assume in the hectic nature of it all the man then disappeared and they could not find him? I’m sorry but seems to me that it would be quite literally easy as pie to save someone unless they got completely distracted by the wife and child and the man perished in the meantime. Which I suppose is what must have happened. 

[Robert Paulson]

On 6/21/2024 at 6:38 PM, impulse said:

 

You guessing, or do you have CCTV?

 

Because nobody ever gets murdered in Phuket...  It would be bad for tourism.

 

 

Right. These stories do not add up. And granted I’m reading a thai story where you get zero facts, but still these stories just don’t add up. People drowning in the middle of crowded beaches with tons of people around?? No footage of the event even though every goddam person on earth wants a viral Tik tok so bad? Makes zero sense these stories I tell you

[Robert Paulson]

On 6/21/2024 at 6:26 PM, impulse said:

 

So, zero chance he was murdered and tossed in the water? (not to put too fine a point on it)

 

If he was my brother, I'd want to know.  Before complete strangers call him stupid.  As if they know.

 

Seriously, if you wanna off someone in phuket, it’s as simple as doing the deed and then just tossing them in the water. And the police come along and say “rip current” and take some pictures of some red flags and mystery solved 

[Robert Paulson]

Drop all egos, drop all everything…. Can anyone explain why there’s never video of these instances of people being “swept out to sea” in Thailand? 

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, Robert Paulson said:

So let me get this straight, and forgive me for discussing the previous drowning… the guy was saving his kid and wife or something, the rescuers got to the wife and child. Ok good job. And I assume in the hectic nature of it all the man then disappeared and they could not find him? I’m sorry but seems to me that it would be quite literally easy as pie to save someone unless they got completely distracted by the wife and child and the man perished in the meantime. Which I suppose is what must have happened. 

In 2 meter waves it's difficult to spot a head bobbing out of the water.

[freedomnow]

https://bringanoodle.org/portfolio-items/howtogetoutofrip/

 

Very useful above, I knew zero on rip-tides. People tire themselves out fighting it.

 

I think simple solution in Thailand is graphic icon warnings at frequent point along beaches along with flag system.

Edited July 4 by freedomnow

[Cereal]

Something sounds off about this story. Maybe it's the mentioning that the farang was 45 and his Thai girlfriend was 48? Who dates older women here? 

I'm being facetious of course. 

[Sandboxer]

Meal Team VI

[Harsh Jones]

On 6/20/2024 at 2:29 AM, Tropicalevo said:

What with the Russian drowning on Sunday

 

In related news, a Russian man drowned on Sunday, June 16 after swimming in the sea at Surin Beach in Phuket

 

and a few close encounters yesterday, people in Phuket need to take care.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1330227-tourists’-phuket-beach-fun-turns-into-life-or-death-drama/

 

The problem is , there is so many warnings out there in modern society for minor things , that many ppl think these beach warnings are just some overly cautious stuff. And not truly life and death dangerous.

 

I'll admit , i was ignorant to how dangerous these beaches really were when I came. 

[Harsh Jones]

On 6/25/2024 at 2:47 AM, Robert Paulson said:

Right. These stories do not add up. And granted I’m reading a thai story where you get zero facts, but still these stories just don’t add up. People drowning in the middle of crowded beaches with tons of people around?? No footage of the event even though every goddam person on earth wants a viral Tik tok so bad? Makes zero sense these stories I tell you

Then why doesn't it happen at other beaches nearly as much ? 

 

Most murders are impulsive crimes and ppl who do them don't think. They find the most stereotypical wooded area and bury them there They wouldn't think of throwing them in a rip current.

 

 

[morrobay]

On 6/21/2024 at 6:36 PM, simon43 said:

Mao Khao beach is not a good place to swim. I lived in that area for many years, walked along that beach thousands of times, but would only ever sit in the shallows.  The beach slopes down quickly in the water, definitely not a safe place to swim, (and also very quiet with little chance of calling out to others for help).

That's right it's a steep beach that produces a strong outbound rip current. There is not any thing mysterious here. Again you don't need 2 meter waves to form a strong rip. These people drowning here don't have a clue what to do in that situation. They should at least have rip current diagrams posted on beaches with swimming sideways solution. Alot of people are drowning here lately. And again wearing fins swimming around there is advised. If it's a strong wide rip with incoming waves you want to get out of there.

Edited July 5 by morrobay

[Robert Paulson]

On 7/5/2024 at 6:21 AM, Harsh Jones said:

Then why doesn't it happen at other beaches nearly as much ? 

 

Most murders are impulsive crimes and ppl who do them don't think. They find the most stereotypical wooded area and bury them there They wouldn't think of throwing them in a rip current.

 

 

Pls. I could totally see someone doing that. There would be nothing easier

[Mason45]

On 6/21/2024 at 6:45 AM, Brn2Trvl said:

Obviously not best to enter when the red flags are posted but.. people freak out and fight against the current trying to swim back to shore when the solution is to swim cross current, parallel with the shore until the riptide is not pulling out to Sea THEN swim to shore. If someone knows this technique, they will do it when needed. A simple graphic sign showing this technique could save lives.

An Aussie friend of mine told me that years ago he went swimming in a surf beach with his son. Everything was ok, then without notice they got caught a massive rip. His son saved him and they ended up 2 kms away.  Little did my friend know 3 years later his son would be a World surfboard champion. Even to this day he tells me without his sons skills they would've both drowned.

[FritsSikkink]

On 6/21/2024 at 6:45 AM, Brn2Trvl said:

Obviously not best to enter when the red flags are posted but.. people freak out and fight against the current trying to swim back to shore when the solution is to swim cross current, parallel with the shore until the riptide is not pulling out to Sea THEN swim to shore. If someone knows this technique, they will do it when needed. A simple graphic sign showing this technique could save lives.

If they ignore the red flags, they probably ignore the other signs too.

[GinBoy2]

On 7/4/2024 at 3:28 AM, Cereal said:

Something sounds off about this story. Maybe it's the mentioning that the farang was 45 and his Thai girlfriend was 48? Who dates older women here? 

I'm being facetious of course. 

I get it, and facetiously some of us do end up with Thai women our own age, all for the good I might add.

 

On the drowning question. Years back I was in Hawaii, and I got stuck in a rip. No amount of kicking was gonna do it, I could see the shoreline disappearing.

 

Totally scary. Suddenly it changed and I finally could swim back to the beach, but that was a bullet dodged for me 

[Brn2Trvl]

On 7/6/2024 at 8:53 PM, Mason45 said:

An Aussie friend of mine told me that years ago he went swimming in a surf beach with his son. Everything was ok, then without notice they got caught a massive rip. His son saved him and they ended up 2 kms away.  Little did my friend know 3 years later his son would be a World surfboard champion. Even to this day he tells me without his sons skills they would've both drowned.

 

[Speedhump]

The know-alls here telling us about how to beat a riptide don't seem to know the difference between a riptide in a calm-looking sea and the very heavy seas which have killed people in Phuket recently. 🫣