Another Karon Drowning

[madmitch]

One of my customers has just watched a failed rescue attampt at Karon Beach.

A large farang guy drowned at Karon about an hour ago. He was pulled in but it was too late. His Thai GF was distraught and the monks have already visited the body at the beach. Rumours are that there could be one or two more bodies out there but these rumours are often false and fly about after such tragedies.

I also read that an Aussie family had a lucky escape on Tuesday.

There are no lifeguards this low/summer season and there are always people ignoring the no swimming signs and the red flags.

Anyone living in Karon knows that there are deaths every year through drowning. Not all are reported.

All I can say is please, don't be tempted into the water at this time of year.

R.I.P.

[LivinginKata]

Oh dear ... not another one. I've witnessed a few (failed) rescues over the years. RIP.

[LivinginKata]

Friday, June 5, 2009[/u][/b]

Aussie family narrowly avoids drowning in Phuket

KARON, PHUKET: A family of Australian tourists who ignored red warning flags narrowly escaped drowning at Karon Beach on Tuesday afternoon.

Chalong Police identified the victims as Mr Samir Mourad, 58, his daughter Zeinab, 16, and Mr Mourad's wife, whose first name and age were not reported.

According to the report, Mr Mourad was sunbathing while his wife and daughter entered the heavy surf, despite the fact that red warning flags were clearly visible in the area.

The mother and daughter were soon pulled out to sea by a rip tide and began calling for help.

Mr Mourad heard their shouts and went in the water to help. He was able to reach his wife and bring her safely back to shore.

Going back in for his daughter, he became too exhausted and the two-meter-high waves kept pushing him under.

Local residents saw what was happening and notified Chalong Police.

Using a boat, rescue workers from the Karon Hazard Prevention Unit and the Phuket Tourist Rescue Center rushed to the scene to save the girl.

It took the boat nearly 25 minutes to get safely back to shore, after which all three family members were rushed to hospital.

It was not reported which hospital the family were taken to or who was admitted, but Mrs Mourad, released soon after arrival, returned to the family's hotel to bring some belongings to the hospital.

Karon Mayor Tawee Tongcham commented that drownings at west coast beaches are common during the monsoon season, despite the red flags put up cautioning people not to enter the surf.

In past seasons, members of the PPAO beach guard have been posted at beaches to warn people entering the surf of the dangers. However, this year no beach guards have been on duty and it is not clear when the service will resume, he said.

The contract to run the PPAO beach guard program, put in place under former PPAO President Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr, was last year put up for tender under the new administration of Paiboon Upatising, but with much stricter terms of reference.

These included that beach guard workers be properly trained and have certification in life-saving techniques.

No company was able to meet the terms of reference, so the PPAO offered to allow local administration organizations to set up and run their own beach guard programs with PPAO funding if they could find enough certified staff.

It is not known how many local government units have done so, if any.

[PST]

I'd heard that the thai girl also died,they had been missing for 2 hours before the bodies were washed up.

I belive they were swimming together.

A tragic event nevertheless.

PST.

[ScubaBuddha]

I'd heard that the thai girl also died,they had been missing for 2 hours before the bodies were washed up.

I believe they were swimming together.

A tragic event nevertheless.

PST.

I saw the people gawking when I drove by, but you can't see the beach from the road there. All I could see was a man on a jet ski. I nearly stopped figuring there might be a drowning or near drowning. On the way back a little later I needed to stop at the Kite Board Asia shack and she also told me that two people drowned, and had been missing for 2 hours before being found. She said the person on the jet ski was looking for them.

I thought I remember there being a woman who volunteered to organize lifeguards on the island, or was that just Kata Beach. I would consider spending an afternoon teaching a group of them CPR/first aid myself. Why this hasn't happened with all the dive/CPR first aid instructors on the island is a surprise. Or maybe it already has. Finding the money for training aids and books, and certification fees is probably the bigger issue. Another issue may be the superstition that Thai people have about touching a dead body, that the spirits will haunt you or something. Not sure how real a hinderence that would is, but I've read, and heard about that being an issue with emergency responders here. Any one know more on that I would be interested.

[theiceismelting]

I saw it too. Everyone was watching out over the sea for the two missing people. When I by chance came by the ambulance and police were already there and rescuers were searching the waters. The waves were high. It took about half an hour more before we could spot the man in the waves, lifeless. The rescuers brought him in but there was nothing to be done, he had been in for a long time. The body was covered with a sheet and monks watched over the body as they kept searching for the woman, who later (after we had left) also was found dead.

A tragic accident and very sad to have witnessed. I can only think of their families.

Take a red flag serious.

[ScubaBuddha]

I saw it too. Everyone was watching out over the sea for the two missing people. When I by chance came by the ambulance and police were already there and rescuers were searching the waters. The waves were high. It took about half an hour more before we could spot the man in the waves, lifeless. The rescuers brought him in but there was nothing to be done, he had been in for a long time. The body was covered with a sheet and monks watched over the body as they kept searching for the woman, who later (after we had left) also was found dead.

A tragic accident and very sad to have witnessed. I can only think of their families.

Take a red flag serious.

Yeah..that reminds me of another thing...I don't think alot of people understand what the red flags mean. A lot of the tourists that visit here are not from nor frequent beaches. There is common sense, some would say, but there could also be signs in multiple languages. Sure it won't stop everyone, but if Phuket want's to be seen as a progressive international tourist spot, then they need to at least try to meet international standards. Trained gaurds with proper equipment and more signage is a start, and would undoubtably save lives.

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Very tragic, why are there no life guards now we are in the Summer Season

[stevenl]

Take a red flag serious.

One of the problems is, that the red flags go up at the end of high season, and are only taken down at the beginning of the next high season, even though there are plenty of days in between when the seas are excellent and safe for swimming. So a lot of people don't take the red flags serious.

[steelepulse]

Take a red flag serious.

One of the problems is, that the red flags go up at the end of high season, and are only taken down at the beginning of the next high season, even though there are plenty of days in between when the seas are excellent and safe for swimming. So a lot of people don't take the red flags serious.

So true.  Locals look at the calendar and declare that it is red flag season even though there might or might not be dangerous conditions. Another HUGE problem is the "lifeguards" aren't lifeguards, only glorified jet ski boys who might or might not have a whistle with them. These guys main concern is renting out their nosiy jet skis.  I can't even remember how many times I see them at kata come running over after someone on a surfboard rescues someone and then they immediately take the glory.  I know I have NEVER seen a "lifeguard" go out and rescue someone on their own in dodgy conditions.

[katabeachbum]

Hi

Very tragic, why are there no life guards now we are in the Summer Season

Tessabaan no money. Everything spend on the new beachfront officebuilding.

The hotels, who are very well organised in every other aspect, should pay for lifeguards. But they dont.

Edited June 6, 2009 by katabeachbum

[madmitch]

I've heard from three sources that three more people drowned today, one day after the French and Thai couple.

Surely even a few guys with whistles would be better than nothing down on the beach, though Karon is a long stretch and as has been quite correctly stated, the tessabaan has no spare cash.

Bloody great NO SWIMMING signs, possibly sponsored by nearby hotels or businesses, every few metres might work but there again might not.

Edited June 6, 2009 by madmitch

[steelepulse]

I've heard from three sources that three more people drowned today, one day after the French and Thai couple.

Surely even a few guys with whistles would be better than nothing down on the beach, though Karon is a long stretch and as has been quite correctly stated, the tessabaan has no spare cash.

Bloody great NO SWIMMING signs, possibly sponsored by nearby hotels or businesses, every few metres might work but there again might not.

I heard the same also and my friends that were there before I arrived said that there were ambulances and "black cars" that came.  I went out at around sunset to get wet and there was definitely a strong current/rip tide running.

I wonder why the hotels don't all put in 100 baht a month each and hire some actual lifeguards that know how to swim and also rescue people.  Seems to me it would be in their best interest to do so.

[PST]

Yep.another farang died today,beach area just south of karon circle.

Why isn't there a permanent ambulance situated along the beach road to reduce response times?

Baffles me this thai mentality,really does.

PST.

[ScubaBuddha]

Yep.another farang died today,beach area just south of karon circle.

Why isn't there a permanent ambulance situated along the beach road to reduce response times?

Baffles me this thai mentality,really does.

PST.

The problem here is, what ambulance would you be referring to? In Thailand there is no such thing as a government run ambulance service like we are used to. What Thailand has traditionally had (and indeed most developing and third world country's have, and what the states had until the 1950's) are pickup trucks or similar vehicles which are transport only. Meat wagons. The staff usually have no training whatsoever and provide no pre-hospital care, and from what I have seen little or no spinal precautions are taken. (As is evidenced by those stickers you occasionally see on the back of some cars and trucks of the "rescue worker" carrying the injured girl, her head dangling unsupported.) These pick-ups are run by independent "foundations" that work on commission per patient delivered by the receiving hospital. Then there is the private hospital ambulances and Chalong Tourist Rescue which are staffed by nurses, EMT's or Paramedics with proper training and equipment, but they are expensive and aren't going to camp out waiting for something to happen. They are dispatched from their hospital or from the Chalong Tourist Rescue HQ at Chalong Pier, respectively. Thier staff is busy doing other work until called, and usually they are only called if it's a farang in trouble. The Thais get the meatwagons. I may have some details off here, but this is what I have gathered after talking to a lot of folks, reading threads on ThaiVisa, and my personal experiences.

No, what we need is proper signage and trained lifeguards with proper kit (surf boards, back boards, O2, AED's etc) and actively patrolling, and with authority (at least perceived) to order people out of dangerous situations, or we are going to continue to have deaths every time the waves get big like this, which they do much of the "Summer Season".

A small tax to the hotels could cover it easily. So obvious, and so easy. Sadly, I doubt it will ever happen. TIT

Edited June 6, 2009 by Scubabuddha

[LivinginKata]

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Frenchman and Thai drown in Phuket

KARON, PHUKET: A Frenchman and his Thai companion drowned while swimming in heavy surf off Karon Beach yesterday afternoon.

After the deaths were reported to Chalong Police, rescue workers from the Phuket Ruamjai Kupai Foundation, Phuket Tourist Rescue Center and Karon Hazard Prevention Unit rushed out on surfboards and boats to find the victims.

After about 20 minutes they found the 43-year-old Frenchman who died during the rescue effort.

His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Shortly afterwards they recovered the body of his companion, 31-year-old Thai national Sirinkorn Hosri.

Their bodies were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital.

There were several other people swimming in the area at the time.

Witnesses said the couple got into trouble after being knocked over by a wave more than two meters high. Currents then pulled them further offshore, where they eventually drowned.

Local officials noted that red flags warning against swimming were clearly visible at the scene, on the stretch of Karon Beach near the community police box.

Just three days earlier, an Australian family narrowly escaped drowning under similar circumstances at the same beach.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-06-06

[TaoNow]

During the high season, a number of the popular beaches (including Patong and Kata) had strings of red & white buoys to demarcate a swimming area. Perhaps these only stay put during the calmer months and can't be anchored down during the monsoon.

But wouldn't that be a cost-effective prevention strategy (using buoys with heavy anchors)? Then people who were caught by the current could swim to the buoy rope and pull themselves back to shore.

Perhaps the buoys are taken down in order not to encourage swimming. But, hey, is that stopping anyone? Quite a few swimmers at Kata yesterday -- but prudently staying away from the deep breakers.

What's your opinion of this suggestion?

[katabeachbum]

During the high season, a number of the popular beaches (including Patong and Kata) had strings of red & white buoys to demarcate a swimming area. Perhaps these only stay put during the calmer months and can't be anchored down during the monsoon.

But wouldn't that be a cost-effective prevention strategy (using buoys with heavy anchors)? Then people who were caught by the current could swim to the buoy rope and pull themselves back to shore.

Perhaps the buoys are taken down in order not to encourage swimming. But, hey, is that stopping anyone? Quite a few swimmers at Kata yesterday -- but prudently staying away from the deep breakers.

What's your opinion of this suggestion?

In the high season they separate jetskis and paraglideboats from swimmers.

They where washed up beginning of may when the wind and the waves came. It would take a "North Sea" quality to remain in place.

I m on Kata Beach every morning, and if tourists want to go swimming in these conditions I think nothing will stop them. They r on holiday, and we all do stupid, exciting things on holiday.

[Valentine]

There are 2 shows on TV featuring Bondi beach in Australia & Piha in New Zealand. During the summer weekends in NZ volunteer lifeguards patrol the popular swimming beaches & the show on TV last night saw the lifeguards (8 were on patrol that day although there were certainly others at the club) perform 50 rescues on Piha beach with no drownings. The thing that stands out from the Piha & Bondi shows is the fact people mainly get into difficulty because they ignore the warning signs. Both shows have featured drownings despite the presence of well equipped & well trained lifeguards.

Phuket did have a lifeguard system but not sure how it operated although I often saw a top of the range pick up in Phuket Town with a Phuket Lifeguard sign on the vehicle so one can only hazard a guess as to where their funds were going, it certainly was not going towards effective training & equipment.

There is a fledgling surf lifesaving association in Phuket & can see some news about it on http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phuket-surf-l...ick-up-the-bum/ With enough funding to provide proper training & equipment hopefully this will grow into a fully fledged group of lifeguards that can man the beaches, possibly a mix of paid & volunteers.

[MisterMan]

The problem here is, what ambulance would you be referring to? In Thailand there is no such thing as a government run ambulance service like we are used to. What Thailand has traditionally had (and indeed most developing and third world country's have, and what the states had until the 1950's) are pickup trucks or similar vehicles which are transport only. Meat wagons. The staff usually have no training whatsoever and provide no pre-hospital care, and from what I have seen little or no spinal precautions are taken. (As is evidenced by those stickers you occasionally see on the back of some cars and trucks of the "rescue worker" carrying the injured girl, her head dangling unsupported.) These pick-ups are run by independent "foundations" that work on commission per patient delivered by the receiving hospital. Then there is the private hospital ambulances and Chalong Tourist Rescue which are staffed by nurses, EMT's or Paramedics with proper training and equipment, but they are expensive and aren't going to camp out waiting for something to happen. They are dispatched from their hospital or from the Chalong Tourist Rescue HQ at Chalong Pier, respectively. Thier staff is busy doing other work until called, and usually they are only called if it's a farang in trouble. The Thais get the meatwagons. I may have some details off here, but this is what I have gathered after talking to a lot of folks, reading threads on ThaiVisa, and my personal experiences.

No, what we need is proper signage and trained lifeguards with proper kit (surf boards, back boards, O2, AED's etc) and actively patrolling, and with authority (at least perceived) to order people out of dangerous situations, or we are going to continue to have deaths every time the waves get big like this, which they do much of the "Summer Season".

A small tax to the hotels could cover it easily. So obvious, and so easy. Sadly, I doubt it will ever happen. TIT

Karon Municipality has an ambulance, I think at the Fire Department on Koktanode Road. There was an accident by the Boathouse on the same road and I had a Thai person call. Took about 15 minutes for them to show up. Perhaps they were eating. Also when they did show up they did not notice the bone sticking out of the girls knee (2 farangs knocked off a motorbike ).

I agree with everything else you said.. but even the police who arrived on the scene was clueless.. no first aid training. Luckily dive instructors were there. But surely the police should have been trying to do something?

I also heard teh tessiban has no money. I was on Kata Beach on Thursday adn could not even more then one tiny single red flag way down on the beach. By the Kata Beach Resort there were 3 Singha beer flags, green, yellow and red. All together like a decoration and if it was a single red flag with the Singha beer logo IM sure would be confusing.

MANY PEOPLE DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT A RED FLAG MEANS. I asked my English friend who grew up in America and she had no idea.

Kata Karon Fire Department 076 330 913

[ScubaBuddha]

Karon Municipality has an ambulance, I think at the Fire Department on Koktanode Road. There was an accident by the Boathouse on the same road and I had a Thai person call. Took about 15 minutes for them to show up. Perhaps they were eating. Also when they did show up they did not notice the bone sticking out of the girls knee (2 farangs knocked off a motorbike ).

I agree with everything else you said.. but even the police who arrived on the scene was clueless.. no first aid training. Luckily dive instructors were there. But surely the police should have been trying to do something?

I also heard teh tessiban has no money. I was on Kata Beach on Thursday adn could not even more then one tiny single red flag way down on the beach. By the Kata Beach Resort there were 3 Singha beer flags, green, yellow and red. All together like a decoration and if it was a single red flag with the Singha beer logo IM sure would be confusing.

MANY PEOPLE DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT A RED FLAG MEANS. I asked my English friend who grew up in America and she had no idea.

Kata Karon Fire Department 076 330 913

Yeah MrMan I remember you and I traded posts on that incident , and you say you know me, you still oddly insist on remaining anonymous to me. Hmm....

I've looked for that ambulance you spoke of before at the fire station on Koktanot, and have'nt seen anything yet. The fact that it took 15 minutes still makes me think it was one of the other private hospital ambulances or the Chanlong Tourist Rescue people. I may be wrong, but I still think the government ambulance you speak of is just a meat wagon that wouldn't respond to a report of a injured farang, only Thais, unless there were no proper ambulances availabe. But then again your observations seem to indicate that they didn't have any training, so I don't know. I would have to see the vehicle to be sure.

Back to the lifegaurd issue, I emailed Jayne MacDougall at [email protected] for information about the situation on the island now. (Her email is listed at the above referenced link http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phuket-surf-l...ick-up-the-bum/ so mods please don't delete it) If you are interested in getting involved, I think she is the woman I mentioned earlier in this thread that is working of getting lifegaurds at our beaches. I will post what relevent info she gives me here.

SB

[sesdave]

I was walking along the beach with my girlfriend and passed that unfortunate person shortly before he drowned. The sea didnt look that bad but having been in it further up the beach could feel that there was a vicious riptide which will catch people out.

Same thing happened today on Surin Beach - a young thai girl (12) drowned and 2 farangs almost went the same way. Me and another guy grabbed a boogie board and a surf board and tried to help. I had the boogie board and couldnt even get past the suf wall due to the riptide - I am a strong swimmer but after 5 minutes of trying to get out I found myself struggling to get back to the beach and that was with a board.!

So as previoius poster has stated - have a great time in Phuket but be very careful when you swim at the beaches at this time. However nice the sea looks to you on that hot beach there is a riptide most days at this time - it just varies in strength. There are no lifeguards and no facilities. When the police and ambulance turned up at Surin they did not appear to have any equipement to carry out a water search or assist . Not even a pair of binoculars so we could have looked from the Tsunami lookout tower!.

Edited June 7, 2009 by sesdave

[bangkokrick]

So how many people have drowned on the Phuket beaches this week? This appears to be coming a major problem. I have been to Karon and Kata on numerous occasions and to be quite honest would never venture into the sea at this time of year.

Very sad.

Cheers, Rick

[HDRIDER]

Hi

As somebody say, get some big signs up. maybe it will help maybe, and i have hears the same thing about red flags, a lot dont know what it is, but maybe the signs is not good for the Summer Season, very bad this, make me angry......

[cpitc00]

Is sad.....my wife and I witnessed a young thai woman being dragged from surf in Karon two days ago...it took 25 minutes for them to find her floating in shallow surf....the man she was with was helped by people on the beach and survived...resusitation efforts failed to revive this young Thai Isaan woman

[bangkokrick]

I hope that most of these posts are talking about the same incidents, or this problem is a almost epidemic proportions.

RIP to the victims.

Cheers, Rick

[ScubaBuddha]

I hope that most of these posts are talking about the same incidents, or this problem is a almost epidemic proportions.

RIP to the victims.

Cheers, Rick

Sounds like it may be 4 seperate incidents. At least 3 for sure.

[bangkokrick]

I hope that most of these posts are talking about the same incidents, or this problem is a almost epidemic proportions.

RIP to the victims.

Cheers, Rick

Sounds like it may be 4 seperate incidents. At least 3 for sure.

Thanks Scuba, You know that this should get into the International press, It's ridiculous to lose so many lives in such a short time and the season is yet young.

Cheers, Rick

[ScubaBuddha]

Yeah and that's only the ones we hear about.

[NBT TV Phuket]

item--8--- on VDO at http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...hp?news_id=1156

or

A foreign tourist drowned on Karon beach last Saturday.

One of our viewers took these videos from his mobile phone as the Phuket Tourist rescue centre staff and volunteers, brought the body off the Kata Yai beach, where they took a speed boat back to calmer waters, after finding him drowned in heavy swells near the north end of Karon beach on Saturday afternoon. Martin Carpenter, British Honorary Consul in Phuket, told Andaman News that the deceased British man was James Henry Patton, only 21 years of age. His family in the UK has been contacted and proceedings are underway for James to be flown back to London this coming week. James was visiting Phuket with his girlfriend, who returned home to UK on Sunday as scheduled. Martin Carpenter, and the British Embassy in Bangkok, are doing all they can to assist the family at this tragic time. This incident followed a similar accident on Friday when a French man and Thai woman also apparently drowned at Karon, during high waves and rip currents. The red flags are visible on most beaches warning people of the danger in swimming now during the monsoon season. Our condolences go out to the affected families.

Andaman News NBT TV (VHF dial) at 8.30am & perhaps repeats on Phuket Cable TV channel 1 at 3.30pm, 7pm, 1.30am & 6.30am, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces & maybe Mazz Radio FM108 at 7pm in Phuket, Monday June 8th 2009 & http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/ & www.YouTube.com/AndamanNews