Phuket lifeguard chief blasts tour operators, hotels over tourist drownings

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Phuket lifeguard chief blasts tour operators, hotels over tourist drownings
Saroj Kueprasertkij


DANGER ZONE: The President of the Phuket Lifeguard Club has blasted tour operators and hotels for not doing enough to warn tourists of the dangers of Phuket’s lethal surf at this time of year.

PHUKET: -- The President of the Phuket Lifeguard Club has blasted tour operators and hotels for not doing enough to warn tourists of the dangers of Phuket’s lethal surf at this time of year.

The call by PLC President Prathaiyuth Chueayuan for greater action to save lives follows a horror week in which five people, including three tourists, died after succumbing to the powerful waves, and one Russian tourist was rescued from the Phuket surf in just six days.

“Most of the victims are tourists who ignored the red ‘no swimming’ flags and warning signs and lifeguards verbal warnings,” Mr Prathaiyuth told The Phuket News.

“But did they really know how dangerous the Andaman Sea is during the southwestern monsoon? Tour guides and hotel and resort staff should warn their customers and guests about how dangerous the sea is at this time of year.”

Mr Prathaiyuth said that he understood that many tourists paid a lot of money to come to Phuket and wanted to enjoy the beach during their holiday here.

“Some days the weather is still good enough to be on the beach, and when they see the beautiful beach and alluring colour of the sea, it is hard for them to resist going into the water.

“But they might not be aware of the danger of the sea in the monsoon season and simply ignore the warnings,” he said.

Mr Prathaiyuth urged all beach-goers, tourists and locals alike, to heed warnings by lifeguards. “And especially so after lifeguards have ended their beach patrols, which are from 8:30am till 6:30pm,” he said.

He also called on local officials to do more to warn swimmers.

“If tourists realized how dangerous it is, they would be more careful with their own lives. It is a very sensitive issue as we have no legal right to prevent anyone from going into the sea,” Mr Prathaiyuth added.

Phuket’s deadly week in the water began on August 11, when Singaporean tourist Seah Chin Hin, 53, collapsed and later died after swimming during a day trip to a beach near Koh Khai Nui, northwest of Phuket.

Mr Seah managed to clamber aboard his tour party’s speedboat and tell his son that he had choked underwater before collapsing unconscious.

Mr Seah was sped to Mission Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival of heart failure and an obstructed pulmonary system.

The next day South Korean tourist Seung Jinseo, 46, disappeared from Kata Noi Beach as he was swept away from shore by strong waves. His body was recovered off Koh Pu, immediately offshore from Karon Beach, two days later.

Yet, the day before Mr Seung’s body was found another South Korean tourist, Qi Dhun Hua, 43, drowned at Karon beach. Mr Qi was pronounced dead on arrival at Patong Hospital, though luckily his daughter, not named by the authorities, survived.

Then last Saturday (August 15), the day after Mr Seung’s body was found, Russian tourist Pavel Ugai, 24, was pulled from the surf at Surin beach. After days recovering at Thalang Hospital, Mr Ugai was discharged from medical care, lucky to be still alive.

Swiss expat Ernst Krummenacher, 71, was not so lucky. The six-year resident of Phuket collapsed while fighting strong waves at Nai Harn Beach last Sunday morning (August 16).

His son, Dion, told police that his father had suffered a heart attack while in the water, but no one could get to him in time before he succumbed to the waves.

By Sunday night, Myanmar national Thi Da, 38, was found on Patong Beach, an apparent victim of the strong surf. Despite efforts by a lifeguard at the scene to revive her, she was pronounced dead on arrival at Patong Hospital.

Kathu Police Deputy Superintendent Lt Col Akanit Darnpitaksarn later told The Phuket News that her relatives had explained that Ms This Da was known to suffer bouts of deep depression brought on by her struggle against debt.

Police have subsequently deemed her death as suicide by Phuket surf.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-lifeguard-chief-blasts-tour-operators-hotels-over-tourist-drownings-53711.php


-- Phuket News 2015-08-19

[steven100]

Yes , good job just to give them a reminder .... but surely most international countries know what a red flag on a beach means .. and it says no swimming .... DUH !

[mango66]

Tourists are cheated - tour operators never announce that this time is " NO - NO tourist time -

no swimming !! no sea !

the Hotels should be closed for this period!!

Nozt to tell this to tourists in advance on bookin is CHEATING !!

2nd - foto be comfortable, they leave the no swimm flaggs out for 24 hrs !!

thats also bull shit,

because after some time no one beleaves - trusts - that this flags are serious !!

[mango66]

Yes , good job just to give them a reminder .... but surely most international countries know what a red flag on a beach means .. and it says no swimming .... DUH !

tour agencies should be forced to put this recflags an their brochures when the customers buy the arrangements !!

But thailand !!

Money goes for lifes !!

[mango66]

many times in my flights i meet tourists and they are very dissapointed,

when i have to tell them , that this time is no season for swimming in the sea,

BUT rather swimming on the street floods in Phuket or bangkok !!

Its a shame that thailand goes only for money and profit and never

for satisfaction of the guests !!

[phantomfiddler]

It,s not the waves that are the big problem, it,s the rip tide currents that are the killer, especially off Karon Beach. But yes, the tourists should be warned en masse about the dangers of going into these waters, around this time of the year in particular. If you look in "The Rough Guide To Thailand" there is a red box containing a warning about this problem, and I am the person who put it there after being swept so far off Karon Beach I could only just see the island ! Luckily I somehow managed to get back to shore, and was told by a local that it was not unusual for a few people per day getting drowned off this beach Hence a quick letter to the management of the guidebook.

[rafish]

Same old broken record by the life guards...Every year its someone else's fault. Yup! 12 years and the record still gets played...makes one wonder.

[rafish]

many times in my flights i meet tourists and they are very dissapointed,

when i have to tell them , that this time is no season for swimming in the sea,

BUT rather swimming on the street floods in Phuket or bangkok !!

Its a shame that thailand goes only for money and profit and never

for satisfaction of the guests !!

If your precious tourists read on-line regarding the weather patterns for Thailand and specifically Phuket they might not be so disappointed and prone to slag the tourism industry for their own lack of research. We are all in business to make money not loose money. Its not called "charity." I would think that tour agencies booking tours have this information avialable to them prior to bookings in China, Russia, England, EU etc. Who is actually failing here mate?

That's why they call it the "Off-Season!"

[Jimlove]

At least he say that some more should be done even tho it could cost some tourists - lets hear what TAT think ... ups, forgot they only count arrivals ... maybe they could count dead tourists too ...

[geisha]

It's not only in Thailand that people drown! France Spain and many other countries, Australia's a good example, have locals and tourists who brave the water knowing that it's dangerous ! That's what the red flags are for. People still go in the water. What else to do, ban swimming in off season or dangerous areas maybe ? Most normal people who go to these places know very well the sea conditions, and if they don't, they should, and take heed of the flags.

[masuk]

Yes , good job just to give them a reminder .... but surely most international countries know what a red flag on a beach means .. and it says no swimming .... DUH !

I believe RED in China means "GO"!

As so many Chinese tourists are entering the country, maybe the warning signs need to be in more than one language.

The sign below might be effective!

[Happy Grumpy]

I can see the TAT blurb now:

"Come to Amazing Thailand, visit the amazing beaches, but do not swim. Or erect a beach umbrella. Or rent a jetski. Or try to get a taxi. Enjoy your amazing stay in Amazing Thailand, where the people are so smiley, Buddhist and nice!"

[stevenl]

Yes , good job just to give them a reminder .... but surely most international countries know what a red flag on a beach means .. and it says no swimming .... DUH !

I believe RED in China means "GO"!

As so many Chinese tourists are entering the country, maybe the warning signs need to be in more than one language.

The sign below might be effective!

The signs are in Chinese. Why post here when you don't know.

[masuk]

Yes , good job just to give them a reminder .... but surely most international countries know what a red flag on a beach means .. and it says no swimming .... DUH !

I believe RED in China means "GO"!

As so many Chinese tourists are entering the country, maybe the warning signs need to be in more than one language.

The sign below might be effective!

The signs are in Chinese. Why post here when you don't know.

The photo only shows a red flag, and a warning in English so stop trolling and grumping!!! Look at the flag again!!

[lvr181]

How about the local officials/lifeguards organise a notice (perhaps sponsored) to be compulsorily displayed in each tourist accommodation room with two simple messages:

1) Between the months of ? to ? beaches can be dangerous for swimmers.

2) Where the red flags are flying NO SWIMMING.

Notices to be in English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and perhaps Spanish.

Yellow background, with black printing (red for emphasis) is always attractive to the eye.

Get past the blame game and do something constructive

[Reigntax]

It's not only in Thailand that people drown! France Spain and many other countries, Australia's a good example, have locals and tourists who brave the water knowing that it's dangerous ! That's what the red flags are for. People still go in the water. What else to do, ban swimming in off season or dangerous areas maybe ? Most normal people who go to these places know very well the sea conditions, and if they don't, they should, and take heed of the flags.

Swimming is almost never banned on an Australian beach and there has rarely been a drowning on a patrolled beach in more than 50 years. More people drown in their bath tub each year. The majority of the few hundred drownings that occur each year are in swimming pools, rivers, isolated beaches and estuaries. SLSA has 160,000 members and 65,000 junior members. Most life savers are volunteers.

There is no comparison between Thai and Australian beach culture nor the value of a life

[Alwyn]

why are so many people saying the tourist agencies should put it in their information or/and blaming hotels? Everywhere around the World (just about) has red flag warnings when necessary and they seem to get by without blaming tour agencies or hotels... Then again, if you wanted to swim in a red flag site normally the life guards would warn you if you're stupid enough to ingnore the flags! It seems in Thailand the lifeguards are content to watch people to go out into the ocean when red flags are flying and then piss and moan when people drown?

[Nemesis7]

and the blame game continues.

[stevenl]

Yes , good job just to give them a reminder .... but surely most international countries know what a red flag on a beach means .. and it says no swimming .... DUH !

I believe RED in China means "GO"!

As so many Chinese tourists are entering the country, maybe the warning signs need to be in more than one language.

The sign below might be effective!

The signs are in Chinese. Why post here when you don't know.

The photo only shows a red flag, and a warning in English so stop trolling and grumping!!! Look at the flag again!!

I don't care about the photo, I know the beaches here and that includes the signs. And these signs are in multiple languages, including Chinese.

[stevenl]

why are so many people saying the tourist agencies should put it in their information or/and blaming hotels? Everywhere around the World (just about) has red flag warnings when necessary and they seem to get by without blaming tour agencies or hotels... Then again, if you wanted to swim in a red flag site normally the life guards would warn you if you're stupid enough to ingnore the flags! It seems in Thailand the lifeguards are content to watch people to go out into the ocean when red flags are flying and then piss and moan when people drown?

I remember many posts from readers complaining that they were told not to enter the water with red flags waving, but considered the water safe for them to swim.

[ggt]

Ensuring tourists safety is everyone's job who makes a living in the tourist industry...

If you are a lifeguard...you do just that...guard against any uninformed or naive tourist from going into unsafe waters...

[Alwyn]

why are so many people saying the tourist agencies should put it in their information or/and blaming hotels? Everywhere around the World (just about) has red flag warnings when necessary and they seem to get by without blaming tour agencies or hotels... Then again, if you wanted to swim in a red flag site normally the life guards would warn you if you're stupid enough to ingnore the flags! It seems in Thailand the lifeguards are content to watch people to go out into the ocean when red flags are flying and then piss and moan when people drown?

I remember many posts from readers complaining that they were told not to enter the water with red flags waving, but considered the water safe for them to swim.

I've seen that in Naiharn too.. The way I see it is if the lifeguard has put up red flags AND gone to the trouble of warning them (usually drunk Russians in Naiharn) then it's up to them and the life guard is exonerated - maybe sign a disclaimer and then the l;ifeguard doesn't have to put his/her own life at risk

[whaleboneman]

What I see in the photo is perfect body-surfing waves. So because some non-swimmers or inexperienced swimmers drown everyone must stay out of the water?

In Cuba, I noticed some lifeguards putting up red flags every day so they could sit in the bar. I'm thinking this happens in Thailand too.

For me, red flag means "surfs up!"

[Pinot]

I spend a lot of time on the beach and rarely see ANY lifeguard presence. They're a poor excuses for lifeguards. I see them helping out with surfboard and jetski rentals but as far as actually doing anything constructive on the beach...forget it. Most of the time they're asleep or they never pay any attention to what's going on in the water. The beaches are poorly covered. Less than 50% of Kamala and Surin have any coverage.

Being a lifeguard should be more than just setting flags on the beach. That's all it is now. They do nothing.

The bar is set so low for lifeguards it's a tripping hazard. Pathetic.

Yes, hotels and tours could do more. They should tell tourists they're completely on their own and not to expect any lifeguard help.

[harrycallahan]

"Some days the weather is still good enough to be on the beach, and when they see the beautiful beach and alluring colour of the sea, it is hard for them to resist going into the water."

I can see why he's the Chief - speaks better English than most English.

Edited August 19, 2015 by harrycallahan

[simon43]

[quotq]

That's why they call it the "Off-Season!"

In Phuket, it is not called the 'off-season', it is called the 'green' season...

[Valentine]

[quotq]

That's why they call it the "Off-Season!"

In Phuket, it is not called the 'off-season', it is called the 'green' season...

It always used to be called low season when room rates virtually dropped in half. Green season came into vogue as a marketing ploy.

As for signage & because they are not stationed every 5m or so where tourists may or may not read them the chief has a valid point in that more can be done to warn people about the dangers of swimming during the monsoon season. The lifeguards can only do so much as they simply cannot physically restrain people from entering the water.

[grumpyoldman]

OP has five occurrences. One Korean on a daytrip died of "an obstructed pulmonary system", you guys are clear what that is right? Clogged arteries? Could've happened if he had taken a strenuous walk on the beach like the Nai Yang guy of about four months ago. Swiss guy's son, says his dad had a heart attack in the water. Same thing happened to a guy I knew (RIP Atsumi John) about five years ago.

So actually we have had two drownings, with one lucky Russian guy surviving.

Do the hotels need to be more vigilant (?), yes, of course. Tour operators should hand out cards, for sure. But what can you do when people have existing health conditions and/or outright go against what they are being told (?), nothing.

Tell you what the lifeguarding situation is 100% better than it was six years ago.

[wabothai]

Yes , good job just to give them a reminder .... but surely most international countries know what a red flag on a beach means .. and it says no swimming .... DUH !

So many people (especially those of the inner parts of China) have no idea about the dangers of the sea and don't know about red flags. Indeed hotels can post warnings.