Phuket beaches roped off after deadliest weekend

[webfact]

Phuket beaches roped off after deadliest weekend
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- After Phuket’s deadliest drowning weekend, sections of Kata and Karon Beaches have been closed for the first time in the island’s history.

“This is the first time we have ever had to hang ropes up across the beach to prevent people from entering dangerous sections of the water. Some of the rip currents run strong across 20 to 30 meters of the beach, requiring the whole area to be roped off,” Phuket Lifeguard Club President Prathaiyut “Nut” Chuayuan told the Phuket Gazette.

Those interested in getting into the water are still allowed to enter at areas that are not roped off. However, Mr Prathayut advised against it.

“I suggest that nobody swims at the beaches right now,” he said.

Though the rope is helping some tourists realize how dangerous the surf is, with four dying in as many days within the past week (stories here and here), people are still sneaking past the ropes to swim, Mr Prathayut said.

“We have installed the ropes at Karon and Kata beaches first. We will see if others need them also,” Mr Prathaiyut said.

The deadliest period on Phuket’s beaches, which also saw lifeguards successfully pull 30 people from the water off Kata and Karon alone (story here), came just a month before the emergency extension to the lifeguards' contract is set to expire, on July 27(story here).

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-beaches-roped-off-after-deadliest-weekend-21449.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-06-26

[LivinginKata]

Very good idea - but I never noticed any part of Kata beach roped off at 08.30 this morning. Indeed there were many people in the water. Must admit the sea conditions did appear less rough. Almost placid, but that's the greatest danger as the under currents or rip will still be there.

[lee b]

If this is the case then why would anyone want to go into the water ?? There are some crazy ppl out there

[BrianCR]

They're not crazy how could any country have dangerous beaches and still let tourists come???? - (Normal TV posting) - In truth they're not crazy they're complete idiots

[bangarang]

I dont know why these people insist on swimming. If you want to go in, just go in to about a little past your knees and the waves will hit your chest. Get splashed by some water and get out, don't try to be a michael phelps and swim in the strongest conditions imaginable.

[Asur]

Bless that NaiHarn still open for swim and surf! =)
If u can't swim - don't swim. No one is forcing u to do it.
But many people waited for waves long time, whole high season! So, don't!

[jmccarty]

It is unclear if the surf and current are actually that dangerous or the people drowning or getting into trouble are at fault for getting in over their heads so to speak?

People all over the world swim in big surf and currents. If they know what they are doing, often nothing of consequence occurs.

Could it be that the average tourist visiting Phuket has very little ability to swim?

[bpetnoi]

Could it be even simpler, like say one or two too many beers before entering the water leading to unclear thinking about "why am I being pulled out to sea and what is the proper response when this condition happens?" Oh yes I remember, fight the current, exhaust myself trying to swim back to shore, don't swim with the current and get out down the beach two hundred meters where the rip tide has subsided. Yes that is the proper thing to do, panic, it works everytime.

[Dorion]

I would most emphatically, these days, approach any of the western Phuket beaches with a great deal of caution. If you see red flags or if a beach is roped off - even if you are a great swimmer - heed the warnings as these waters are very deceptive and you can go from what appears to be a very safe spot where the water is up to your knees to being in big trouble two or three steps later. I know this from experience as I was fortunate to be rescued by a teenage surfer a few years back on Kata Beach. And when I read sometimes on this forum about how Thais generally are not very helpful to farangs, I immediately recall this kid who probably saved my life after he shot his surfboard over to me while I had been caught in a rip tide and was heading out to sea way over my head. Yes, the red flags were all over the beach that day. I have never seen a beach quite like Kata where you can walk out on these mounds of sand left high due to the erosion by swift moving water beneath the surface. On some occasions I have made one or two steps off of some of these mounds to find myself up to my neck or over my head. That wasn't the case on the day in question, however, which was in August, 2009. On that day I was having a great time with the waves (several times the lifeguard motioned for me to come back some - I ignored him mostly). I maintained a water level up to my chest but sometimes to my neck. The water was so nice that day that I just had to try swimming out a little - just for a little while, but that is all it took (30 seconds maybe) because, I found out, when my feet couldn't touch bottom while standing,that the current rapidly put distance between me and the shore line. The water and huge waves were incredible that day, irresistible in fact. That and my arrogance (I'll say it before you do) were the problems. And I am a very good swimmer. No I didn't try swimming horizontal to the shore line even though I knew I should to get out of a rip tide. Instead a semi-panic state ensued. I would swim toward the beach and, when tired, do a back float. Problem was that each time I turned back over I was even further away from the beach. When I was at the shore I figured that my fallback in case I got into trouble would be the line of surfers who had been about 100 meters off the beach waiting for waves. And if that didn't work I had hoped I would be able to drift out directly toward the island off Kata. At least I had a plan and two lines of defense so to speak - better than having no plan and getting swept out in a rip tide. And so there I was heading out towards the surfers and they were spaced widely apart (25 meters). I was lucky that one of them was close enough to hear me shout "Help!" - the first and only time I ever had to do that (not including the time I was diving at 90 feet off Costa Rica and suddenly had no air - I could only shake my head, put my hand in a cutting position at my throat, and flail my arms when the dive guide gestured if I was okay after convincing me - I was totally against it really - to share his air off his auxiliary line because my air was getting a little low because Fernando - that was his name, he's a little crazy - wanted to continue with the dive rather than go up which is what I wanted to do and I feel a little embarrassed saying this, but that dive was less than nine hours after I got lost, alone, for three nights in Corcovado National Park - another story). Getting back to Kata, the surfer shouted back, "Do you need help?" Gulping mouthfuls of water as I was tiring and sinking some, I yelled that I did. He shot his board over to me and I grabbed it and swum toward him so that he could use it too. "Wait for a good wave," he said. "Do you know how to use the board?" I told him I did. We waited until a large wave came and then he pushed me into it and I hit it perfectly and body-surfed until I got back to a safer position. When my toes could touch bottom I shot the board back to him. Everything turned out fine, that time. I'm moving to Rawai in four months - retiring from the NCY Department of Education - and cannot wait to head into the waters around Kata and Karon again. Sure, I will likely push my luck again - that's in my nature - but just a little bit this time - but I do not recommend it.

[Totster]

Jasus, do you know what a paragraph is ??

totster

[Dorion]

Actually some writers go on for a whole book - one long paragraph - like W. Faulkner so, it's all relative I guess. If there is a word count limit, please let me know.

[JetsetBkk]

Clearly, someone in authority is reading Thaivisa:

red flag what more can they do ,seems people leave there brains at bangkok airport ,been one once sea was not a problem

What more can they do? - Lots more red flags, every 10 feet. Or rope off the beach?

.

[Totster]

Actually some writers go on for a whole book - one long paragraph - like W. Faulkner so, it's all relative I guess. If there is a word count limit, please let me know.

I'll give you a little tip, NO ONE will be bothered to read a post like yours without paragraphs - so you are wasting your time.

totster

[Estrada]

Actually some writers go on for a whole book - one long paragraph - like W. Faulkner so, it's all relative I guess. If there is a word count limit, please let me know.

I'll give you a little tip, NO ONE will be bothered to read a post like yours without paragraphs - so you are wasting your time.

totster

Guess I'm no one as I read it without difficulty. A very interesting account.

[manarak]

Dorion, you say you are a very good swimmer, how long did the whole Phuket rip tide incident last?

[Dorion]

The "rip tide incident" lasted 20-25 minutes

[Joe Mamma]

Panic, and the oxygen depravation it causes, is the last fatal flaw we humans exhibit in the water.

[IrishIvan]

It is unclear if the surf and current are actually that dangerous or the people drowning or getting into trouble are at fault for getting in over their heads so to speak?

People all over the world swim in big surf and currents. If they know what they are doing, often nothing of consequence occurs.

Could it be that the average tourist visiting Phuket has very little ability to swim?

Yes for sure a lot of tourists cant swim, just look at the victims nationalities. Without even looking at the full headline on TV I know that when there is a drowning in Phuket it is always Japanese, Koreans and Russians. These countries arent known for their swimming abilities. Its rare to see Australian victims. The only thing is that confuses Australians is the placement of the flags on Thai beaches. Everywhere in Australia the flags indicate a safe swimming spot. In LOS this indicates danger

[Dorion]

Panic, and the oxygen depravation it causes, is the last fatal flaw we humans exhibit in the water.

Very possibly true for a lot of drowning victims. However, when I had no air and in fact had inhaled instead probably a pint of water at 90 feet depth while diving once, I initially panicked a bit but then became quite peaceful thinking this was how I was going to die before I began to shoot upwards (apparently Fernando had activated my CO2 cartridge-see earlier post on this topic). I was blacking out at that point from oxygen deprivation and just remembered ascending very fast and finally shooting out of the water. I recall thinking that drowning had to be about the easiest way to die because you would just go to sleep.

[eezergood]

Panic, and the oxygen depravation it causes, is the last fatal flaw we humans exhibit in the water.

Very possibly true for a lot of drowning victims. However, when I had no air and in fact had inhaled instead probably a pint of water at 90 feet depth while diving once, I initially panicked a bit but then became quite peaceful thinking this was how I was going to die before I began to shoot upwards (apparently Fernando had activated my CO2 cartridge-see earlier post on this topic). I was blacking out at that point from oxygen deprivation and just remembered ascending very fast and finally shooting out of the water. I recall thinking that drowning had to be about the easiest way to die because you would just go to sleep.

Looking at your, posted at least, history with water. Could you please name in your will?

[Bagwan]

I hope tht the jetski boys keep their heads above water.

If you can't swim, don't.

[Mur]

I read the whole story also and found it interesting. I have swum at various phuket beaches but only around the high season when the seas were way too calm for my liking and I always find it interesting to hear stories of how dangerous it gets at this time of year. I could probably get into trouble in these conditions tho I'm very respectful of the sea having drowned (in a rip at the bottom of NZ) and been revived as a 10 year old. I still remember the panic but also the calm acceptance and painlessness as I slipped away. Not a bad way to go at all, tho the panic beforehand is a bastard

[manarak]

The "rip tide incident" lasted 20-25 minutes

A good swimmer has absolutely no trouble to slowly swim for several hours, I'd say about one hour is a minimum, but two hours should be easy enough, especially in salt water.

A poster mentioned panic, I think that is the main point here.

One needs to overcome the fear and make a good plan about how to save strength and get out of the bad situation.

You certainly did a good save with these surfers, Dorion.