British Boy Drowned Under Whirlpool In Pattaya Water Park

[misterphil]

How deep is the pool at the grates in question

Anybody know?

No more than 4 foot deep in nearly all of the park.

[wrecker]

It is not so much incompetence of the life guards but of the maintenance people who did not closed it properly. As always in Thailand they will find a scapegoat probably the boy or girl that washes the towels. The hot shots will get away with it.

[Pib]

From watching the evening news it sure looks like the metal gate/guard was not properly secured/in-place or lite enough for a curious child to slide away just enough to get sucked in. Should have had locks/bolts to secure the gate/guard. Poor safety always results in sad, sad events.

[Wiresok]

Just been watching the Thai news and they are saying that it looks like he has lifted up the grate on the bottom of the pool and swam under and got stuck.

3 Thai men managed to lift out the grate easily under the water so I would of thought a 14 year British lad could easily lift it.

Question is why arent these grates secured?

That is the question.

Also an alternative is to have a micro-switch on the grate, so if the grate is removed the micro-switch stops the pump.

However this adds extra cost.

Either way the tradgedy was avoidable.

[noungning]

At several points around the pool there are water pumps which make the water circulate, these are fed through heavy looking metal grilles in the floor of the pool.(around a meter square} Water is sucked in through these grills by pumps on the side of the pool and is expelled again at force through angled pipes in the wall of the pool providing the circulating effect. I wonder if one of the grills in the floor of the pool has been removed for maintenance or some such thing and not properly replaced. With no grill it would be easy for someone to be sucked in to the duct there and it would be almost impossible to get out.

this is probably likely. but seems like someone also mentioned he had lifted the gate himself to go in...

if the suction is strong, i don't think the curiousity would lead him to wanna check it out.

accidents like this happens a lot in the US. many public pools are forced to follow saftey guidelines because kids have been dying because of those suction holes, or even losing their limbs. i believe they've also come up with additional pool laws for safety of the public.

it is very sad indeed that the kid had to pass this way. drowning is my worst fear of death.

kids will be kids, they like the feel of that suction in those pools, and it is ultimately the responsibility of those public facilities to secure all means that can prevent from injuries or fatalities.

[cdnvic]

Its too bad kids have to die before common sense kicks in to designers and operators of these places. Not only in Thailand either. You can't count on a 14yr old "knowing better" because everyone knows better than to do the things they recklessly do anyway at that age.

[dee123]

Yes this park is dangerous.I too damaged both my heels sliding down the water shoot(3rd person today to say this).I talked about this 2 years ago on Thaivisa.com.Before I went on the slide I asked the guards if it was dangerous and he replied NO.They found it amusing when I craked into the bottom of the pool.(as if it was part of their fun to see another falang suffer!)The guards there must be replaced.The whole place should be shutdown until it is safe.The owners must explain how this happened.If safety proceedures aren't being met then prosecutions MUST follow.Please everyone boycott this place.My heartfelt condolences to the family.

[ekkamai]

I don't understand. How can an engine room be underwater?

nobody said "under water"

[PhootThaiMaiDai]

I just recently found out that in the US you can't even have grating anymore. There are special fittings now a days that prevent potential damage from the suction. It reads like an urban myth, but "people" have had their intestines sucked out their a** because of the old design, and a bit of luck (bad luck). As well as disembowelment, just being stuck, literally trapped from the suction of the old design and drowning took it's share of innocence. It happened enough that a few people with government jobs had put their heads together, earn their living, and solve a problem.

Edited July 10, 2009 by PhootThaiMaiDai

[Udox]

"The guards there must be replaced.The whole place should be shutdown until it is safe.The owners must explain how this happened.If safety proceedures aren't being met then prosecutions MUST follow.Please everyone boycott this place."

The most sensible comment yet regarding this tradgedy.

It doesn't matter how, or why or even 'if it adds to the zillions of other deaths in Thailand everyday'

If the place is an accident waiting to happen (as it obviously is) - why line the pockets of some scumbag wanting to get rich - regardless of the consequences ?

[Toxane]

Pattaya Park should be closed immediately. Complete mismanagement and there is absolutely NO safety available. My condolences to the family.

[kudroz]

Is the place closed now? They should close the place until an investigation reveals exactly what has happened and new security measures has been put in place. Does anyone know if the place is still open?

[Texpat]

Sad story. TV news said locks were missing from the pump room.

Safety isn't a top priority here. We all know it. Why feign outrage when another farang is killed?

It's all part of the experience.

[smallprawn]

A tragedy - my heart goes out to the mother and the rest of the family.

Perhaps Nerone's offensive comment, "Bunch of Monkeys", and that of Peecee, "Pay Peanuts and get Monkey's" could be removed.

49 children in the state of Texas have already drowned this year. See:

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/Alarmin...ning_death_rate

I agree. There are obvious questions re health and safety. Avoidable tragic accidents such as this can both sadden and anger people. However, regretfully, accidents like this, can and do, happen in many countries. Referring to Thai people as 'Monkeys' is non productive and insulting. I also hope such comments could be removed. Hopefully anyone with any sence will ignore them.

This is a tragic accident. I hope those responsible for the safety of kids here are charged appropriately. I feel for the family and their tragic loss.

Edited July 10, 2009 by smallprawn

[vernonschmiddy]

Great sentiment! Should have left it at that!No need to quote a cliche at such a sad time for the family! Don't you think they are assuming enough blame themselves? You weren't there, so how do you know that the lifeguards were "Monkeys"? Why not just be compassionate and leave it that rather than blame someone? I am sure that the lifeguards don't start their day out hoping that someone dies..Really...

vERY SAD, SHE'S THAI & COULDN'T GET ANY ACTION FROM THE ATTENDENT'S! BUT IT'S THE OLD ADAGE "PAY PEANUT'S & GET MONKEY'S."

[Scott]

My condolencs to the family.

[lounger]

Yes ..... Just an unfortunate accident with nobody to blame! So all of you people that just want to read something into this at this poignant time for his grieving family, why don't you go and get fuc_ked! Get a fuc_king life!

Its not JUST an unfortunate accident. People are killed all round the world in the badly designed water filtration plants etc. I see previous posts relating to the states and myself recall one in Spain. Another I remember a young girl getting her hair caught in the down suction. There needs to be a recognisable accreditation. ISO ???

The Asian culture is to laugh off misfortune and grief. Its weird but life is cheap here. We take our lives in our hands when we expect western standards of engineering. Tourists dont realise, they deserve better.

[ttthailand]

Just been watching the Thai news and they are saying that it looks like he has lifted up the grate on the bottom of the pool and swam under and got stuck.

3 Thai men managed to lift out the grate easily under the water so I would of thought a 14 year British lad could easily lift it.

Question is why arent these grates secured?

Only a guess but perhaps in order to save money Pattaya Park designed and built the water park. Amusement rides, water park equipment, people movers ( trams) all need to be properly engineered. It takes R&D and time to get it right, not a quick, looks good to me, saved big money by not hiring someone who knows the business...

Take a look at their other equipment and see who made it, you will be surprised. I know what I would do with the entire park .

Would you put your family on test equipment ?

They just don't get it !

[robokop]

I don't understand. How can an engine room be underwater?

Yes, poorly worded since it is questionable he drowned. All that said, if this was USA or in Europe, the lawsuit against the Park would be in the millions.

[Gobbledoc]

This is so sad, this could happen in UK, Canada, USA, Australia, but this incompetence is on steroids in Thailand. It just reminds me how precious my loved ones lives are to me. It really makes me sad that this boy, almost man, died because of stupidity.

For those wondering how an engine room is under water, well this is Thai media for <deleted>@k sake, the water is recycled, via pumps drives by motors /engines that intake has to be under water, the suction at point of entry would be huge. I am sure they really mean that the covers for the pumps were missing. So sad.

[LPCustom69]

Such an unnecessary tragedy. Condolences to all concerned.

British boy drowned under whirlpool in a Pattaya water park

PATTAYA: -- A British boy was found dead under a whirlpool at the Pattaya Park yesterday. It remains unclear how Naytin Clark, 14, got stuck in the engine room.

Police are investigating into his death.

The victim visited the Pattaya Park with five other family members.

"After he mysteriously disappeared, I kept looking for him and noticed that a cover under the whirlpool was left open. I reported this to lifeguards but they wouldn't believe me," the victim's stepmother Jintana Clark said tearfully.

The Thai woman had raised the boy since he was five years old.

"Only one more hour passed did the lifeguards agreed to check the engine room and found his body," Jintana said.

-- The Nation 2009-07-10

[anterian]

I think he intentionally swam into the duct then went into panic and drowned when he found it was not so easy to back out.

As a child of 14 I was a keen daily swimmer and was interested in underwater endurance, I would frequently swim down to the extraction duct and hook my finger in the grill to stay submerged. The reason I had to hook my finger was there was insufficient suction to hold me down otherwise. Think about it, it would not be safe to have suction strong enough to suck a person down a duct, it would then be strong enough to hold a person against the grill.

The boy died from childish curiosity and incompetent maintenance.

[dee123]

This is Thailand I know.Western standards of safety (which sometimes seem draconian)do not always apply,BUT for heavens sake Pattaya Park is considered to be a "family" destination and we hear of the tourist board trying to woo "quality tourists",.....well as I said in my earlier post,I and two others who have posted today alone have found to our cost that the water at the end of the water shoot is nowhere deep enough.I personally spent 3 weeks in real pain recovering from the accident I had there.Many people know/knew about this problem.Obviously the staff who worked there knew. Do the Thai authorities and owners of Pattaya Park think that this sort of negligence (at least regarding the waterslide)would not one day come back to haunt them?

Edited July 10, 2009 by dee123

[mickyboy]

"Lifeguards" what an oxymoron.

RIP.

being some one who has only made about 4 posts but have read many i noticed that mebers who have posted hundreds of posting are total garbage so many mke there quota up by everyone who has died or bad luck make comments I.E sorry r.i.p

whats that all about millions die everyday and nobbody cares but on here its like a ritual to say condolences r i p

and get more post pionts sorry to sound rude but find it so whatever lets say rip to everyone who died including jacko i made my piont posted now 6 in 3 years and basicly the engine rome made in a whirlpool is like a wave machine makes waves in a swimming pool

[mickjn]

May the young man RIP

My sincere condolences to his family

[losworld]

vERY SAD, SHE'S THAI & COULDN'T GET ANY ACTION FROM THE ATTENDENT'S! BUT IT'S THE OLD ADAGE "PAY PEANUT'S & GET MONKEY'S."

I'm not sure I would put it that way but it is certainly difficult to see how employees get motivated with these low salaries and blistering heat. However, I do think it would be wise to at least have a well paid manager who can motivate and co-ordinate the activities of the underpaid employees. But I suppose that is too much to ask as most businessman prefer to pay peanuts and take their chances. You can find many underpaid, under motivated, under trained in any country.

[hunghung]

Whatever the circumstances this is nothing but an unmitigated deeply sad tragedy. Blame and calls of incompetence add nothing so why bother to make them. The only thing to express here is profound regret that one so young was taken, regardless of how.

Deepest sympathy to the family who will face weeks and months of soul searching and loss.

Because blames and calls of incompetence may save another childs life.I would want someone held responsible,as i am sure would you,if it was someone you loved.

I went to Pattaya Park 2-3 years ago, tough not the water part of the complex. The place was badly run. The advertisement I saw was deceptive (actually I wrote to a couple of Pattaya publications asking them not to publish the ad, but they contine putting ads of the Park). The buffet was a total rip-off. Staffs who operated the cable ride from the top of the tower were unfriendly (probably because they were poorly paid or treated). I was so pissed off that I will never visit the place again. I guess this death case has a lot to do with the Park itself.

[thaimlord]

Nothing that is done from this point will return the boy his life.

I wish his loved ones all the best in dealing with the myriad of issues this will most surely bring about for them.

ThaiMLord

[TheAceFace]

Tragic news.

May he rest in peace.

[cdnvic]

Nothing that is done from this point will return the boy his life

No, but if there is a problem then ignoring it could mean another kid dies.