Russian Tourist Electrocuted In Phuket Resort Pool

[IvanDobsky]

Mr Ydmark, said when asked whether he could conmfirm it was an electrocution: ''We don't have the full facts. I can't say yea or nae to that.''

Well, which one means yes?

Cutting corners to reduce costs and maximise profit at the expense of basic health and safety is both criminal and widespread.

Another reason not to go to Phuket.

RIP

[osiboy]

I guess if Thailand wants to be first world it needs building standards, inspections, enforcement plus proper education and certification of electricians. Until this happens, dont expect any change.

This is it in a nutshell. The goverment needs to drive this but this would be one more thing to the list of things they need to fix. I have seen bare live terminals on a building site in Pattaya and the wiring on poles along the streets looks like it was done by a bunch of drunken monkeys. The government needs to put the issue of safe electric high on its agenda or many more will die. I don't live in Thailand. Could some retired electrical engineer living here set up a commitee to lobby government? Would it have any impact?

Errr,...NO!

[jobsworth]

Because I have a healthy respect for my wellbeing I have my pool lights disconnected, I just don't trust the guy who did the wiring.

RIP to the Russian guy.

pool lights are usually a 12 volt isolated system and so fairly safe i think

why i even know one guy in india who used to swim underwater and change the bulbs

while they were switched on.

Edited March 8, 2012 by jobsworth

[osiboy]

What is going on in Phuket, there seem to be multiple tourists dying every week? almost on a daily basis.

Karma for feeding the devil maybe ??

[anterian]

An RCCB (residual current circuit breaker) will provide safety if there is no earth wire available. Both of my houses here and in England have no earths, I use RCCBs. You can actually grab a live wire in safety, they trip faster than you notice the electricity.

[giddyup]

I have a new house that has 3 pin sockets installed throughout, but I'm yet to find an appliance that has 3 pins. I doubt very much if there is an earth wire on any of those sockets anyway. I used to get a boot from the hotplate of a condo where I was staying. Guess what, earth wire snipped off.

[thomdixon]

I have children so when I hear stories like this, the father dying in the presence of his children and the children left without a father, I am very saddened.

G_D go with this man's family.

[webfact]

UPDATE

Phuket tourist electrocution sparks probe, safety blitz

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: The electrocution of 45-year-old Russian tourist Fedor Samsonov at a high-end Phuket resort last night has prompted an investigation by police and a full-scale safety inspection of the resort’s electrical system.

“This is very tragic and we feel very much for the family,” said Lars Ydmark, of resort management company Tri-Asia, which manages the Dewa Resort & Spa in Karon.

The incident was caused by an unsecured wire on the bridge over the pool, he explained.

“There were never any wires in the pool,” he added.

Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Boonlert Onklang arrived at the resort with rescue workers from Phuket Ruamjai Kupai foundation after receiving the report at 8:30pm.

“A section of power cables was exposed, which we believe caused the incident,” said Chalong Police Acting Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri.

“Obviously there was no intent in causing anyone harm, but we are continuing our investigation” he added.

Mr Samsonov, still wearing his swimming trunks, grabbed the metal rail of a footbridge over the pool, and suffered a fatal electric shock, said Col Sirisak.

Restaurant Manager Surasak Phetsut, 33, rushed to his aid and tried to pull Mr Samsonov from the rail, but he too suffered an electric shock and fell face down into the pool.

A hospital staffer at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town this afternoon confirmed to the Gazette that Mr Surasak is conscious and talking.

“He was admitted at 10pm last night. He hurt his back, but other than that he is on antibiotics as a precaution in case he develops a lung infection from ingesting the pool water,” she said.

Although Mr Surasak seems to be recovering well, doctors had yet to determine when Mr Surasak may be discharged from hospital care, she added.

Mr Ydmark explained that the resort opened on December 7.

“Today we appointed an electrical safety consultant who fully inspected the hotel. Our premises is now 100% safe, including the footbridge,” he said.

However, the electrical experts will tomorrow begin an in-depth inspection of the entire resort’s power system. “To make sure there is nothing brewing in the future,” said Mr Ydmark.

“We are working very hard right now to ensure that everything is 100% safe for the guests staying at the hotel that is the most important thing right now,” he said.

Mr Samsonov’s family are now staying at another hotel, Mr Ydmark said.

“I believe their consulate is now helping them in handling their situation,” he added.

Mr Samsonov arrived in Phuket on holiday with his family on February 12.

The Dewa brand of hotels has gained a reputation for delivering quality resorts within the hospitality industry, with the Dewa Phuket, a boutique resort at Nai Yang beach, receiving no less than seven awards at the 2011–2013 Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards (HAPA).

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle12533.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-03-08

[osiboy]

why dont TAT do something about safety in hotels ?? if they were to downgrade all hotels by 1* until an electrical safety cert was in place the problem could be solved virtually overnight , ...another way would be for travel agencies to insist on .........ohhhhhh why bother ,..... this is thailand , money comes before safety and corruption diverts action , nothing will change, .......be careful out there !

[TackyToo]

RIP and condolences to the family!

I just wonder where are all the posts of those lashing out on others who had the nerve to criticize the famous "Thai standards" before in the Sukhumvit fire case?

[newermonkey]

“A section of power cables was exposed, which we believe caused the incident,” said Chalong Police Acting Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri.

So the wire stripped off its insulation and moved in to make contact with the hand rail all by itself, Wow the laws of the universe must be so different on Phuket island !

[jocko]

I never reply to the stories here and certainly not to the replies. But I want to try today. So many articles and so many people responding to it. But many times the reply becomes negative about Thai people and Thailand. I understand the reasons for being negative, but why stay in a country where the people are stupid and the rules are wrong? When you really feel that Thai people are stupid and that Thailand is bad, why don't you go to your own country. Feeling negative and being negative makes your neighbours and your friends negative. Your whole world will become negative and depressing. And is that what you want?

I agree that many mistakes are made. But I also look at all accidents that happen back home or any place. I think I have no place to go, because there is always something to complain about.

I am not saying that we should ignore everything, but seeing all the negative same respondings here, I just felt I had to say something today.

I wish everybody who stays here in Thailand a good stay and that you can enjoy the good things that Thailand has to offer. And for those who like to reply to this in a negative way, I can only wish you a short life so that you can go to paradise and enjoy your stay there. But I am going to enjoy my life here, in Thailand with all it's mistakes and crazy things.....

Think it was a mix of positive and negative that caused the whole thing. You are right in a lot of respects that 'if you don't like it here then go back to your own country' and things like this happen elsewhere. However working in the travel business I see a blatant disregard for hotel safety here. I keep telling my Thai staff not to think about how difficult things are for your service providers in your country, think like a farang tourist coming here for the first time and wrongly assuming its simply okay to go for a swim.

A father died because of somebody's negligence how can anyboby be positive about that we are not talking about jet skis, tuk-tuk,and many other scams that only hurt your wallet. I hope the paradise you are talking about has solar power at very low voltage. The father who died had a very short life and and your choice of the word short well, what can i say.

RIP

[jocko]

12 volt lighting could be used here and earthing should be compulsory maybe it is already is in certain situation's but not done.

My next door neighbour has just had a timber deck laid with about 50% open to the rain etc he has uplights about 20 of them linked together plugged into a single wall socket no trip switch fitted all work done by the same guy .

I worry for him.

..........i worry for you mate,..water could carry the curant to your home too , even if yours is earthed , standing in the same water could be serious .

With my double insulated flip flops on i can do anything .climb polls, scaffold, weld.so no worries but thanks for your concern and besides i have a concrete wall between his garden and mine maybe i should have a word with him and make sure he gets the same flip flops as me.

[Cuban]

Swimmers should put on insulating wet suit? Perhaps?

You mean a Dry Suit.

A wet suit will offer zero protection.

[transam]

Swimmers should put on insulating wet suit? Perhaps?

You mean a Dry Suit.

A wet suit will offer zero protection.

Think you should tell sparebrain2 to advise folk to go to USA or Spain or anywhere for their hols.

[connda]

This never happens in Thailand, does it?

[sydneyjed]

Isn't this the 3rd case in a year? At least one of which was a child? Ignorance or superstition is no excuse for unintentional manslaughter.

One guy was killed after standing on a metal plate at a Patong shopping mall last year...there's holes and things like this scattered all over Thailand..only takes one trailing wire to touch you at the wrong time..scarey!!!

[OZEMADE]

Phuket again, electrocution in the pool, chlorine gas explosion in another pool, carnage on the highway in and around Phuket.

Jet Ski scams, Taxi ripoff's, to mention a few. No my friends wont be going there.

[ib1b4]

There is more to this story than meets the eye, it seems that Fedor Samsonov was not all that he seemd to be.

I have it from a very good and reliable source that our inocent tourist, Mr. Samsonov, was in fact none other than, Colonel Samsonov of the FSB, from a long line of illustrious Soviet military officers.

He was the son of Colonel-general. VIKTOR SAMSONOV, CIS, Chief of Staff and Grandson of Fedor Aleksandrovich Samsonov, Soviet military commander, Colonel general of the artillery (1944). Member of the CPSU:

http://chimuchyo.egloos.com/1176039

http://encyclopedia2.../Fedor+Samsonov

http://www.generals....viet_Union.html

Indeed, Colonel Fedor Samsonov is rumoured to have been involved in the betrayal of Viktor Bout to the American authorities in a sting operation which led to his arrest at a famous Bangkok Hotel and his subsequent extradition to the US recently.

He was enjoying a well earned break from his work with his family, when disaster struck.

It seems that Hotel accidents often happen in strange ways here in the Kingdom of Smiles.

Police have yet to release their technical report on the electrical wiring in the swimming pool bridge area and are seeking to interview two Russian Chechen tourists believed to have stayed at the Dewa Karon Beach Resort and who checked out earlier that evening.

???? Is this believable .

[Briggsy]

5 Star, my arse. Self-assessment?

[pipo1000]

Swimmers should put on insulating wet suit? Perhaps?

You mean a Dry Suit.

A wet suit will offer zero protection.

But a dry suit will get wet as soon as you go in the water,not?

At least my suit does.

[MILT]

Does "Phuket" mean 'If I didn't have any bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all.

[attrayant]

I took this picture today after getting a nasty tingle while reaching ror the CD drive tray in my PC. After a bit of probing around with my fluke, turns out that nothing in this house (my inlaws) is properly grounded.

And every appliance that has a three-prong plug uses those ground prong defeaters, so every chassis effectively floats with potential hazardous voltage. I pointed this out to the family, but they all shrugged as if this was just something you have to live with (and sometimes die with) here. They didnt have a clue that it can be easily corrected.

I'm going to get a few ground poles tomorrow and start making this house a less deadly place to live.

Ridiculous.

[mayday49]

I still have a Journeyman Electrician card ...........safety first. Prayer for little girl.....

[mayday49]

grounding rods have a standard so as not to create Stray Voltage running between Earth Grounded Rods.........Hey Rodney, dis place is the mess yah ?

[overherebc]

Really sorry to add this because I love living in Thailand, but, renovating the house I live in I bought --red wire , black wire and green wire. When I gave them to to the local electrician his first question was-- Why you want three wires.

No more to say except so sorry to hear and read these stories about people losing there lives because of situations like this.

Feel bad that I can't do anything constructive about it except express my real sorrow.

[overherebc]

I took this picture today after getting a nasty tingle while reaching ror the CD drive tray in my PC. After a bit of probing around with my fluke, turns out that nothing in this house (my inlaws) is properly grounded.

And every appliance that has a three-prong plug uses those ground prong defeaters, so every chassis effectively floats with potential hazardous voltage. I pointed this out to the family, but they all shrugged as if this was just something you have to live with (and sometimes die with) here. They didnt have a clue that it can be easily corrected.

I'm going to get a few ground poles tomorrow and start making this house a less deadly place to live.

Ridiculous.

Check my last post

.

Edited March 8, 2012 by overherebc

[bwinter]

heard top notgh thai company used for construction but only takes 1 man to not do his job properly to cause this when construction checxs are so light

gondolengies to the family

[Bucko]

Always concerns me when i see overhead lighting hanging on old wire supports over the pool-- I once asked my TG to question the safety of this at one pool--answer was- the pool closes at seven pm -and the bulb is broken anyway

[MaxYakov]

Earth AKA Ground is a fundamental electrical property, that due to

old wives tales, and limited understanding of the principles so purposely ignored,

or just plain cheapness by owners, is under utilized in Thailand.

Not using it in a wet situation is utter MADNESS and nothing less.

Everyone should be aware that your entire building can be properly earth-grounded with earth-grounded receptacles and you can still get zapped by purchasing power-strip/extension-cords that DO NOT HAVE the earth-ground continued through to its receptacles.

This happened to me when I was getting tingles from my microwave and a PC, both of which were powered through Tesco-purchased (and the cheaper variety), three-prong power-strip/extension-cords. Opening them up and inspecting them, I discovered that the factory must have run out wire for the earth-ground continuance from the power cable to the power strip's receptacles because there was none.

Also, be aware that the building's earth-ground may not exist and that you may have to do this yourself. I've had to do this once for a friend who rented a cheap room.

If all this is Greek to you, then you are lacking one of the primary survival skills for the 20th and 21st centuries (and before, if you consider lightning) - knowledge of electricity and how it can kill.

One does not want to become the ground path for a slug of 50 hz/220 volt electrons as, apparently, this hapless victim did - RIP and condolences to his family.

P.S.: Has anyone seen a Ground Fault Isolator (GFI) in use in Thailand? Maybe the import duties are too steep for such an unessential item. Ever check the prices of smoke detectors at Home-Pro?

Edited March 8, 2012 by MaxYakov