No Lifeguards On Beaches As Phuket Enters Surf Danger Season

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No lifeguards on beaches as Phuket enters surf danger season

Phuket Gazette

The tourists are still visiting the beaches but swimming with no life-savers on patrol cover can be risky at this time of year. Photo: Chris Hudon

PHUKET: : -- As the southwest monsoon sets in and Phuket enters the most dangerous period for beach swimmers, the Phuket lifeguards have yet to return to their towers at popular tourist beaches along the west coast.

The news comes as the Phuket Gazette today received confirmation that not a single company or organization bid for the government

contract to provide lifeguard services at Phuket’s beaches.

It was the second time that no one bid for the contract to provide life-saving services at Phuket’s key tourist attractions since the previous agreement with the Phuket Lifeguard Club expired on April 2.

“We opened electronic bidding twice but received no bids from any organizations to provide lifeguard services. The second bidding process ended April 26.” an officer at the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) Tourism and Sports Department told the Gazette.

“We are now winding up the second round of electronic bidding. We will call in the lifeguard companies [who provided the lifeguard services previously] to see if we can come to an agreement,” she added.

Phuket Lifeguard Club President Prathaiyut “Nut” Chuayuan previously explained to the Gazette that the main areas of concern for the lifeguards were funding and a lack of support to develop professional training to ensure qualified lifeguards patrol the beaches.

“Last year was tough. We’re exhausted and some of us want to take a rest. I think it would be fair if the OrBorJor opened the bidding process to others. But if they can’t find anyone to carry on the service, we will do it. Our top priority has always been public safety,” he said.

However, the OrBorJor officer the Gazette spoke to today said, “We are doing the best we can in accordance with official procedures. If we can come to an agreement, we will pass the new contract on for presidential approval.”

The delay also comes despite assurances by the recently re-elected Phuket OrBorJor President Paiboon Upatising stating in the run-up to the April 7 election that getting lifeguards back no the beaqches was a priority.

The officer the Gazette spoke to today said, “It really depends on readiness of the interested companies, but I don’t think it will take longer than a month. However, we can’t promise a date of when lifeguards will be back on duty.”

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle12921.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-05-04

[JetsetBkk]

This is becoming a regular yearly occurrence. The OrBorJor should offer these life guards a decent salary. I have no faith in and intensely dislike the OrBorJor President Paiboon Upatising. He's a typical rich businessman. He should stay in business and leave the running of the province to others.

[fiddlehead]

The beach was really wild yesterday.

I saw two people actually swimming at Nai Harn and was thinking they were either VERY good swimmers, who know what they are doing, or crazy.

Even if they had lifeguards, who would want to go out in that surf and save someone?

I guess at least they'd have the red flags out. (could they ask the chair rental guys to at least put them out?)

I imagine they'll actually do something after a few tourists drown.

[stevenl]

It seems that every year there is the same problem: no life guards at the start of the monsoon season becasue they started the process too late. Maybe time to start this up a bit earlier?

[seaeagle]

The article says "no bids".

So, is this not a good time for some appropriately qualified, business-like, foreigners around here to form a 'Lifeguard Company', and do this properly?

Thai company would be managed by farang, but still employ Thais who, I suspect, would be better trained and managed than before. Sounds like an opportunity to me.

Would certainly embarrass them if the only bid was from such a company, and they ended up turning it down. One for the Honorary Consuls - Governor agenda, I'd imagine!

[Valentine]

I recall the company who wins the contract has to put up a one million Baht bond for the equipment & at the end of the last contract it sounded like they were haggling over this. I wonder what the tender form & conditions are like. Even on beaches like Bondi with well equipped, well trained, professional lifeguards, drownings still occur so this is an extremely dangerous time on our beaches.