No Phuket beach lifeguards from tomorrow

[Lite Beer]

No Phuket beach lifeguards from tomorrow

Phuket lifeguards train on the beach

PHUKET: As of tomorrow (March 26) lifeguards may not be seen on Phuket’s beaches for a month or more because the contract for their services has yet to be renewed. It is now down to Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong to decide what happens next.

Phuket Life Guard Service Co Ltd consultant Prathaiyut Chuayuan told The Phuket News, “We have not yet received an answer from officials about the renewal of the contract.

“However, we have talked with people who are always at the beach and also to hotels and local businesses, and have asked them to help look after the tourists until we can return to the beaches.

“There are also the warning signs, in seven languages, set on 13 of the beaches, which I hope will help.

“I care about the tourists when they come to play on the beach, and I hope they will swim in safe areas because May until October is a dangerous period, and in April, too, there will be lots of tourists here.”

The lifeguard service is funded by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (OrBorJor) whose President, Paiboon Upatising, told The Phuket News today, “[A new contract] is in the works.

“But we have to put the contract for lifeguard services out to tender and we must have three bidders.

“However, as was the case last year, only one company bid for the contract: Phuket Life Guard Service Co Ltd.

“So we have to hire them on special conditions, as we had to last year. However, this year the deal must also be approved by Governor Nisit.”

When The Phuket News rang Gov Nisit about the lifeguards today he appeared not to have heard about the problem. But he promised, “I’ll make it a top priority.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/no-phuket-beach-lifeguards-from-tomorrow-51571.php

-- Phuket News 2015-03-25

[LivinginKata]

Here we go again. The same dangerous nonsense we see every year. Really no serious intent by the local gov to prevent drowning deaths. Just a joke, but sadly a deadly reality. Sigh Sigh ...

[StasD]

I have never seen them there

[steelepulse]

Plenty of money for statues and 10 million baht signs, but not for essential services, which providing lifeguard services surely is at a beach holiday destination. Just goes to show where the priorities lie and where the tourists are in the priority queue.

[angiolo]

Is that right , there has actually been no lifeguards on the beach ?

[Cuchulainn]

.............It is now down to Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong to decide what happens next...............

Drownings?

[hansgruber]

If the buses crashing don't kill the Chinese, this will.

[stevenl]

I have never seen them there

You have to look at the beaches, where they clearly are present.

[LivinginKata]

I have never seen them there

You have to look at the beaches, where they clearly are present.

See the life guards on Kata beach every day, but I guess not tomorrow.

[pistachios]

The same ubuesque situation is happening year after year. They never learn. How about doing all this work 2 months before the deadline?

It's actually even worse this year, somebody in charge of this urgent issue didn't even bother to tell the governor about it, the journalist took care of it. Or so claims the governor, the lifeguard file was probably buried under a pile of more lucrative projects.

[gk10002000]

I have never seen them there

I was in Phuket twice for a week each time between November and December in 2013 and I never saw anything that looked like a lifeguard on duty on Karon beach anyway. I saw the towers, and para glider roped off areas, I heard a few jet ski renter whistles, but not much of a recognizable lifeguard presence.

[Ulic]

Same, same every year. Just when you need them there the contract expires with the coming of

the monsoon.

Edited March 26, 2015 by Ulic

[Pinot]

Same thing every year. Let's face it, there isn't much lifeguading necessary half of the year. They're sleeping in hammocks most of the time. I see them helping out with the jetskis. When the surf's up they're needed.

[madmitch]

“But we have to put the contract for lifeguard services out to tender and we must have three bidders.
“However, as was the case last year, only one company bid for the contract: Phuket Life Guard Service Co Ltd.
“So we have to hire them on special conditions, as we had to last year. However, this year the deal must also be approved by Governor Nisit.”

Change the rules. Give a three year contract. This is ridiculous, the same story year after year. Probably low priority due to the lack of tea money.

[recycled]

this year the deal must also be approved by Governor Nisit.” he appeared not to have heard about the problem.

Still working out the fine print where it says how much of a backhander he gets.

[hansgruber]

All hotels benefit/profit because of the beaches, why not impose a very small tax from each of them to pay for this. If every hotel chipped in 500 baht a month you could have all new equipment and trained staff.

Best get rid of the local administration, they should be cut out as they are only middle men skimming the cream off the top.

[colinneil]

Contract has not been sorted, because the brown envelope was to thin.

[Rimmer]

A particularly nasty slur against Thai People has been removed

[bangon04]

Contract has not been sorted, because the brown envelope was to thin.

and tourist season is a good time to renegotiate....

[steelepulse]

Unless there is some personal gains to be made, civic duties and achievements lag far behind money spinners. Unfortunately life guards fall into this area as not being deemed a money maker.

Antiquated equipment...........who cares!

Poorly trained personnel...........who cares!

tourists not returning...............who cares!

Makes me money.............priority!

[Daniel Ingalls]

.......Waiting for a new contract at Phuket beach for life guards?......ask the hotels and businesses to keep an eye out for the tourists?...........So are you saying, the bell hop is keeping one eye on the beach, the Desk clerk is keeping one eye out on the beach. The business woman selling coconuts with a straw popping out is also going to keep an eye out on the beach?.......What a stupid statement! No one is watching out for any stupid foreigner splashing in the water yelling for help! YOUR ON YOUR OWN FOLKS! Posted sign, "No life guards on duty, swim at your own risk!"

[bubblegum]

Yearly item and getting boring, they will never learn...

Back into the hammock

[Srikcir]

CLOSE the beaches until lifeguards are back on duty.

Then see how fast this issue can be resolved!