Accident Phuket: Kazakhstan Tourists Drowns at Kata Beach

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A series of swimming  incidents has claimed the lives of two foreign tourists in Phuket over the past two days, while a third remains in critical condition. The incidents occurred at popular beaches despite the presence of lifeguards on duty.

 

At approximately 15:50 on 11 June, emergency responders from the Karon Municipality Rescue Unit were alerted by beach lifeguards to a foreign male tourist found unconscious in the waters off Kata Beach. Upon arrival, rescue personnel discovered the man showing no signs of life. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was administered on site.

 

The man was transferred to a hospital ambulance dispatched from Chalong Hospital and transported urgently to the facility. He was identified as Mr. Yevgeniy Keminsky, a 41-year-old national of Kazakhstan. Despite medical efforts, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Authorities at Chalong Police Station launched an investigation and the Kazakh embassy has been informed to assist in repatriating the body.

 

Shortly afterwards, at around 16:00, another incident was reported. Rescue services from the Cherng Talay Subdistrict Administration were summoned to Bang Tao Beach, near Soi Kubor in Thalang District. A foreign female tourist, believed to be approximately 40 years old, had been caught in a rip current.

 

Lifeguards managed to pull her from the surf, where she was found unconscious and without a pulse. Immediate CPR was administered by both lifeguards and fellow tourists before she was transferred to Thalang Hospital. Her current condition is reported as critical.

 

These back-to-back incidents followed another fatality the previous day. On 10 June, a 41-year-old Albanian woman, visiting Phuket for the first time, drowned while swimming with her partner off Karon Beach.

 

Authorities have urged beachgoers to remain vigilant, obey posted safety warnings and be aware of dangerous sea conditions, particularly during the current monsoon season.

 

Related article:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1363285-phuket-foreign-woman-drowns-just-hours-after-arriving-on-holiday/

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-06-12

 

 

 

[grumpyoldman]

In the eleven years I lived in Phuket, I had to have pulled no less than 25 people out of the water in low season. Included in that was one dog, who got roughed up in the surf at Nai Harn, swam out instead of in and was in a drowning death spiral when I got to him.

 

50% of the people, were drunk. The dog, not.

 

Thai kids, fully clothed and weighed down. Couldn't swim! Why are you in the water?

 

At notorious Karon, saw a friend and his Thai GF get in trouble not but 3 meters from shore when myself and another jumped in and pulled them out. They were getting pounded in the shorebreak, young Thai woman was hysterical, she thought for sure she was going to die.

 

Inexperienced water people in dangerous waters, add some drinks in the sun, recipe for disaster.

[richard_smith237]

Thinking out loud here—this may not be directly tied to the current thread, but there's a clear connection worth exploring.

 

In another discussion, a lad lays in a hospital bed with the bills piling up, and the topic of travel insurance came up.

 

While that was a separate issue, this thread draws parallels of something just as critical...

 

Every year, a number of tourists drown on Phuket’s west coast. The currents there are significantly more dangerous than in other parts of Thailand - and yet, safety infrastructure often feels like an afterthought, limited at best.

 

In that other thread, I mentioned the 300 baht tourist tax 0 something that could easily be handled through the existing TDAC system... the maths works.

- 300 baht per tourist × 35.5 million tourists = roughly 10.65 billion baht (≈ US$ 292.2 million).

 

IF The annual medical cost burden of tourists sits at just 300 million baht (≈ US$ 8.22 million). That's barely a fraction.

 

So here's my point:
There's a surplus - enough to genuinely invest in life-saving infrastructure. Not just healthcare post-accident, but proactive measures - where Phukets beaches are concerned: 

- Fully trained and equipped lifeguards

- Regular patrols across Phuket's beaches

- Public education campaigns on ocean safety

 

And no, not “beach boys on a budget”... I'm talking Bondi Rescue-level professionalism.

 

How much would that really cost, per year?

 

[stevenl]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Fully trained and equipped lifeguards

- Regular patrols across Phuket's beaches

- Public education campaigns on ocean safety

 

All there already.

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, stevenl said:

15 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Fully trained and equipped lifeguards

- Regular patrols across Phuket's beaches

- Public education campaigns on ocean safety

 

All there already.

 

All year round, full compliment of guards across all beaches, working shifts from morning to evening ?

All the right equipment, jet-skis, boards, full compliment of life-guards, full staff training ?

 

Or one or two guys on some beaches,  guys who sit there in some seasons...

And aren't are yearly arguments about funding and threats to dismantle the service. ?

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, stevenl said:

All there already.

 

Also.. in your opinion (as you seem more familiar) - does the need more investment & coverage, or would you say what they have is adequate ?

 

 

 

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/weather/swimmers-at-surin-beach-left-without-lifesavers-as-council-removes-funding

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/Lifeguard-chief-says-budget-cut-not-impact-service-quality

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/No-lifeguards-Phuket-beaches-tomorrow

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-beach-drowning-deaths-double-in-wake-of-lifeguard-contract-failure-68796.php

[MalcolmB]

16 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

And no, not “beach boys on a budget”... I'm talking Bondi Rescue-level professionalism.

Yeah nah

 

In 2024, a total of 323 people tragically lost their lives to drowning in Australia, according to the Royal Life Saving Society - Australia. This figure represents a 16% increase compared to the 10-year average of 278 deaths. The National Drowning Report 2024, published by Royal Life Saving Society in partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia, provides a detailed analysis of these drownings, including factors like age, sex, location, and activity

[MalcolmB]

53 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

All year round, full compliment of guards across all beaches, working shifts from morning to evening ?

All the right equipment, jet-skis, boards, full compliment of life-guards, full staff training ?

 

Or one or two guys on some beaches,  guys who sit there in some seasons...

And aren't are yearly arguments about funding and threats to dismantle the service. ?

They could also provide a free nanny service, cotton wool and swimming lessons.

[transam]

1 minute ago, MalcolmB said:

Yeah nah

 

In 2024, a total of 323 people tragically lost their lives to drowning in Australia, according to the Royal Life Saving Society - Australia. This figure represents a 16% increase compared to the 10-year average of 278 deaths. The National Drowning Report 2024, published by Royal Life Saving Society in partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia, provides a detailed analysis of these drownings, including factors like age, sex, location, and activity

Yep, I thought you were Australian........

[MalcolmB]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

Yep, I thought you were Australian........

Perhaps they could do something for the elderly farangs suffering from Alzheimer’s also?

 

Repeating mistakes and behaviors is a common occurrence in individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, particularly in the middle and late stages. This is often due to short-term memory loss, where individuals struggle to recall recent events, actions, or information, leading them to repeat themselves or make the same mistakes. 

 

[transam]

2 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

Perhaps they could do something for the elderly farangs suffering from Alzheimer’s also?

 

Repeating mistakes and behaviors is a common occurrence in individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, particularly in the middle and late stages. This is often due to short-term memory loss, where individuals struggle to recall recent events, actions, or information, leading them to repeat themselves or make the same mistakes. 

 

Thank you for that, but you should have finished with "OK Cobber".....😉

[roo860]

Simply lovely. 

[MalcolmB]

1 minute ago, roo860 said:

Simply lovely. 

Built in flotation devices

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

16 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

And no, not “beach boys on a budget”... I'm talking Bondi Rescue-level professionalism.

Yeah nah

 

In 2024, a total of 323 people tragically lost their lives to drowning in Australia, according to the Royal Life Saving Society - Australia. This figure represents a 16% increase compared to the 10-year average of 278 deaths. The National Drowning Report 2024, published by Royal Life Saving Society in partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia, provides a detailed analysis of these drownings, including factors like age, sex, location, and activity

 

Yup - it looks like that at a layman's glance on the surface - but once we look at this a little more intelligently, dig a little deeper into the area, and numbers and standardise the comparison:

 

There are approximately ~1500 drownings each year in Thailand - many of those are kids in ponds (more safety education in schools would help a lot here).

 

Australia's coastline is ~59,700 km (incl. islands) / Thailands is  ~3,200 km.

Drownings in Australia:  323 people / Thailand ~1500 (per year)

 

 

To make a more fair comparison evaluate Phuket with New South Wales (I used Bondi in my example earlier).

 

On average, roughly 61 coastal drownings for new south wales in a year (2023)

New South Wales Coastline:  ~2,137 km (1,328 miles)

 

 

Comparison Metrics: New South Wales (NSW) vs Phuket

Coastline length:                    2,137 km (NSW)   /   210 km (Phuket)

Annual drownings:                              61 (NSW)  /   13 (Phuket)

Population (approx):             8,400,000 (NSW)   /   1,000,000 (Phuket residents + tourists - high season)

Drownings per 100,000 ppl:           0.73 (NSW)  /   1.30 (Phuket) 

Drownings per 100 km of coast:    2.85 (NSW)  /   6.19 (Phuket) 

 

Phuket’s drowning rate per person is ~78% higher than NSW’s.

Phuket’s coastline has a drowning density more than twice that of NSW

 

Key Risk Factors Driving Phuket’s Higher Rates

- Lower lifeguard coverage and less robust rescue infrastructure.

- Tourists unfamiliar with ocean conditions (esp. during monsoon season).

- Less signage and beach management, particularly at remote or non-resort beaches.

- Non-compliance with red flag warnings and poor beach behaviour awareness.

 

Phuket presents higher drowning risk per capita and per kilometre of coastline than NSW.

 

 

[MalcolmB]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

Phuket presents higher drowning risk per capita and per kilometre of coastline than NSW.

But you have failed (not that I am calling you a complete failure or anything like that) to take into account actually numbers on the beaches all year round on Phuket beaches, compared to the mostly only summer weekend use of beaches in NSW.

 

You won’t find many swimming in the NSW sea today in the bitterly cold weather. And due to the cold water in NSW not many would be staying in for very long. 

[MalcolmB]

7 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

There are approximately ~1500 drownings each year in Thailand - many of those are kids in ponds

Perhaps they should redirect the lifesavers to the ponds to save their own people as opposed to drunken tourists?

[Sandboxer]

Meh, dead weight on humanity~

[richard_smith237]

29 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

They could also provide a free nanny service, cotton wool and swimming lessons.

 

If you don’t believe that the leading cause of death among children in Thailand deserves urgent attention - and dismiss sensible safety measures as mere “nannying” or “cotton wool”  -  then you truly confirm the low opinion I have always held of your judgement.

 

There are numerous practical steps that could be taken, starting with simple but vital education on:

- Water safety

- Electrical safety

- Road safety

 

This should begin in schools. Teaching children to swim would be ideal, though we must recognise the real constraints on resources. Even just raising awareness about these dangers is a crucial step forward.

 

Many children in Thailand may never need to apply trigonometry or understand the importance of prime numbers or the Fibonacci sequence. But every single one will, at some point, ride a motorcycle, drive or be a passenger in a vehicle, cross a road, come into contact with water, and encounter electricity.

 

Its typical of you to try and turn this discussion into a personal battleground, to attempt to score a win against me in a personal vendetta when we are discussing the safety and lives of people in a country that both of us deeply care about and respect - discuss the discussion... 

 

 

Now: Back on topic and back to life guards on beaches in Phuket... 

You may not think people need 'nannying' but IF Thailand wishes to court tourism, it needs to put solid measures in place to protect them...    this includes safety - safety at the beaches and improved lifeguarding systems that don't shut down each year due to budget issues and contract renewals is a good place for this to start.... 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

But you have failed (not that I am calling you a complete failure or anything like that) to take into account actually numbers on the beaches all year round on Phuket beaches, compared to the mostly only summer weekend use of beaches in NSW.

 

You won’t find many swimming in the NSW sea today in the bitterly cold weather. And due to the cold water in NSW not many would be staying in for very long. 

 

 

Good point - I'd like to try and add that into the metric - it would bring the results of the risk exposure closer together... 

 

Nevertheless - the result would not diminish the need for a secure and stable lifeguard service that operates, all year round under professional conditions with adequate resources and equipment.... 

 

Going back to the 'Tourist Tax' comments I made earlier: IF such a tax were put in place, there is scope to use this as part of the budget.

 

Wouldn't it be a better news article:

...  "Tourists saved by lifeguards"...    "Thai Children caught in a rip, saved by life-guards"....

...  "Phukets Beaches received year round 100% Lifeguard coverage from 6am to 8pm" highlighting serious improvements to the services etc... 

 

 

If you don't think there is any need for improvement of Phukets Lifeguarding - thats up to you based on your observations....  I think otherwise. 

 

 

 

 

[roo860]

22 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

Built in flotation devices

Absolutely, 5pm Saturday teatime, Baywatch!!😘😘

[richard_smith237]

8 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

There are approximately ~1500 drownings each year in Thailand - many of those are kids in ponds

Perhaps they should redirect the lifesavers to the ponds to save their own people as opposed to drunken tourists?

 

Agreed — the issue of ponds is a serious one, and I’ve addressed it in other discussions as well.

There ought to be basic regulations in place to mitigate the risk:

 

 - Every pond should have a grab-rope stretched across the middle to give struggling swimmers something to hold onto.

 - A ladder or simple wooden exit point should be installed, as the banks are often too steep or slippery for children to climb out safely.

 - A floating rescue ring - inexpensive and easily obtainable - should be standard at every pond.

 

Furthermore, children should be taught in school how to save themselves, how to use floating devices effectively, and how to make use of grab-ropes and other safety features.

 

As for your exaggerated suggestion of placing a lifeguard at every pond - it’s precisely the sort of hyperbolic nonsense that undermines meaningful discussion. But putting that aside, the point remains: practical, low-cost safety measures can and should be implemented. It’s not about hysteria or overreach - it’s about protecting lives with a bit of foresight and common sense.

 

 

Also, this is not a matter of either-or. It’s not about saving tourists at the expense of the nation’s own children. Framing it that way - as you’ve attempted - is a false dichotomy that only serves to derail the conversation and reduce it to point-scoring.

 

We should be aiming for thoughtful, inclusive solutions that protect everyone - locals and visitors alike. By turning this into a binary conflict, you reveal more interest in winning an argument than engaging in genuine discussion. Unless, of course, you simply don’t believe tourists are worth saving.

 

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Yup - it looks like that at a layman's glance on the surface - but once we look at this a little more intelligently, dig a little deeper into the area, and numbers and standardise the comparison:

 

There are approximately ~1500 drownings each year in Thailand - many of those are kids in ponds (more safety education in schools would help a lot here).

 

Australia's coastline is ~59,700 km (incl. islands) / Thailands is  ~3,200 km.

Drownings in Australia:  323 people / Thailand ~1500 (per year)

 

 

To make a more fair comparison evaluate Phuket with New South Wales (I used Bondi in my example earlier).

 

On average, roughly 61 coastal drownings for new south wales in a year (2023)

New South Wales Coastline:  ~2,137 km (1,328 miles)

 

 

Comparison Metrics: New South Wales (NSW) vs Phuket

Coastline length:                    2,137 km (NSW)   /   210 km (Phuket)

Annual drownings:                              61 (NSW)  /   13 (Phuket)

Population (approx):             8,400,000 (NSW)   /   1,000,000 (Phuket residents + tourists - high season)

Drownings per 100,000 ppl:           0.73 (NSW)  /   1.30 (Phuket) 

Drownings per 100 km of coast:    2.85 (NSW)  /   6.19 (Phuket) 

 

Phuket’s drowning rate per person is ~78% higher than NSW’s.

Phuket’s coastline has a drowning density more than twice that of NSW

 

Key Risk Factors Driving Phuket’s Higher Rates

- Lower lifeguard coverage and less robust rescue infrastructure.

- Tourists unfamiliar with ocean conditions (esp. during monsoon season).

- Less signage and beach management, particularly at remote or non-resort beaches.

- Non-compliance with red flag warnings and poor beach behaviour awareness.

 

Phuket presents higher drowning risk per capita and per kilometre of coastline than NSW.

 

 

How is per capita relevant? Better compare number of people using the beaches.

[grumpyoldman]

Richard Smith, you make many valid points, but many won't fly in SE Asia as it's a different mindset, IMO.

 

Som nam naa......what were you thinking going in that rough surf after a bunch of drinks? Why are you in the water if you can't swim? Not going to spend money there as the drownings are probably a fraction compared to road fatalities.

 

This thread brought a ton of memories back for me. Surfing Nai Harn back before our dopey Dutch friend published that Phuket had surf (in the low season), I was in the water by myself when I see a guy in trouble, paddle over, get him out of the water. Ends up he is a neurosurgeon from Belgium, so hopefully when my day comes and I'm sitting with God, he/she is saying "ya, but you were not a good guy here...." , I can fire back, how many people did that neurosurgeon save after I saved him? Points on my good guy board, no?

 

Dreamt last night of "water wheelies" you know, the round "lifesaver buoys" with rope, being stationed up and down beaches so anyone could toss it out and drag people in.