Phuket Opinion: Surf’s up, save a life or two

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Opinion: Surf’s up, save a life or two
The Phuket News

Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos (centre, collared shirt) stands helpless as people try to save the life of another tourist who has drowned at the popular Phuket beach at Nai Harn. Photo: The Phuket News / file

PHUKET: -- Monsoon surf has claimed many lives of beach goers,The Phuket News urges everyone to take extra cautious the surf and stay out of the danger zones.

The season of the lethal, surly surf has returned and with October knocking on the door the weather is expected to take a turn for the wetter, as large waves become even more dangerous. That time of year is nearly upon us again when the winds that bring the heavy rain clouds also whip the waves along Phuket’s west coast into a frenzy.

With this introduction, regular readers of The Phuket News will already know what this editorial space has been dedicated to this week: saving lives.

As a medium of news reports of drowning deaths over the years, editors at The Phuket News have a prized perch from which to observe the social movements on the island with respect to such recurring issues.

Of note with respect to this one critical issue, what has become obvious is that while never has a “green season” gone by without an expat resident, a tourist or even a Thai losing their lives in the surf, the repeated needless loss of life at our beaches, like the needless loss of life on our roads, seems to have no effect on the attitude of many people on the island.

Ironically, many people like to post comments on such stories reporting such deaths, noting that considering the lack of education and lack of common sense evident in the circumstances surrounding the deaths, only the inevitable happened.

In addition to the lack of respect for the dead, this mindset only shows how such commenters have fallen victim to the same mental predisposition that they criticise.

In this, it seems what the “more educated” people on the island have forgotten is that complacency is a killer.

Yes, there are those belligerent tourists who ignore lifeguards’ warning, and the red “no swimming” flags. But let’s not confuse ignorance with arrogance. Many people simply are not aware just how dangerous the surf at this time of year can be, as this week’s needless death of three people at the beaches.

To this, The Phuket News today urges everyone – not just lifeguards, but hotel workers and fellow beach-goers – to take up surf safety as a personal responsibility. Tell anyone who seems unaware of the lethal surf that they might be endangering their own lives and those of their own loved ones.

If we badger enough people bad enough, we just might just save a few more lives.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-opinion-surf-up-save-a-life-or-two-54340.php

-- Phuket News 2015-10-04

[Pinot]

Badgering won't stop them. Someone yelling at them to get out of the no swim zone may work. We'll never know.

Phuket lifeguards are...reactive rather than proactive. Reactive after they put down the phone and get out of the hammock. They could care less about what's going on in the water in front of them. They're not like lifeguards in the West. They would be fired fifteen minutes after they showed up for work in the West. A real former lifeguard from Australia told me, he never took his eyes off the beach. Not checking out women, watching for people drowning. They just don't care in Thailand. No supervision and no standards. They're slightly better than no lifeguards at all.

I reckon at my beach, there are sections of the beach where it would take 10 minutes for a lifeguard to show up if a person was drowning. Run half way down the beach, get them out of bed...

No one pays any attention to the red flags. Lifeguards don't even try to enforce rules.

Lie in the hammock all day, not a care in the world. Easiest job in Thailand.

Warning people is a waste of time. You want to make the beaches safer? Change how lifeguards manage the beach.

That's not going to happen. This is Thailand...lower your expectations.

[grumpyoldman]

Pinot, I don't agree with your post. Last year, I saw a local lifeguard get in a scuffle with a Russian he was trying to keep out of the water. Proactive to the point of violence.

What if on the red flags there was a 2000thb notice? If we have to save your lame a** you have to pay 2000thb. 1000thb for k. Aroon and his boys, 1000 to the lifeguard association. Thai people exempt. Maybe hitting people in their pockets could be a better deterrent, I don't know. 2000thb or drown, up to you.

But for sure the lifeguarding situation is 100% better than 12 years ago, even 5, and yes, surprise,surprise, this is not the west ("They would be fired fifteen minutes after they showed up for work in the West.").

[Dap]

Pinot, I don't agree with your post. Last year, I saw a local lifeguard get in a scuffle with a Russian he was trying to keep out of the water. Proactive to the point of violence.

What if on the red flags there was a 2000thb notice? If we have to save your lame a** you have to pay 2000thb. 1000thb for k. Aroon and his boys, 1000 to the lifeguard association. Thai people exempt. Maybe hitting people in their pockets could be a better deterrent, I don't know. 2000thb or drown, up to you.

But for sure the lifeguarding situation is 100% better than 12 years ago, even 5, and yes, surprise,surprise, this is not the west ("They would be fired fifteen minutes after they showed up for work in the West.").

Great idea, but I don't think 2000 is enough

Edited October 4, 2015 by Dap

[gandalf12]

Pinot, I don't agree with your post. Last year, I saw a local lifeguard get in a scuffle with a Russian he was trying to keep out of the water. Proactive to the point of violence.

What if on the red flags there was a 2000thb notice? If we have to save your lame a** you have to pay 2000thb. 1000thb for k. Aroon and his boys, 1000 to the lifeguard association. Thai people exempt. Maybe hitting people in their pockets could be a better deterrent, I don't know. 2000thb or drown, up to you.

But for sure the lifeguarding situation is 100% better than 12 years ago, even 5, and yes, surprise,surprise, this is not the west ("They would be fired fifteen minutes after they showed up for work in the West.").

Any why exactly would Thai's be exempt? If they are stupid enough to go swimming when the red flag is up then they can pay the same

[cornishcarlos]

This red flag ?

Surin beach... Took me a while to spot it

[Ulic]

Very difficult. I have been in Phuket when the red flags where out on Kata Noi every day

I went from May to October. 90% of the time I went swimming anyway as there was no

issues. If the ocean state was not a dead calm (it never was) the life guards would just

put up the red flags. There was never a safe zone marked. The fall back position of the life

guards seems to be Red Flag the beach and then if someone drowns, they were swimming

when the beach was marked as closed.

[gyrosman]

If you don't know what a RIP tide is stay out of the water.

[Jimi007]

If you don't know what a RIP tide is stay out of the water.

I love rips! I use them to get out beyond the surf , then swim over to where the peak is breaking.

[MyFriend You]

I suggested years ago on this forum - change the plain RED Flags to one that depicts Monstor Sharks, mouth Agape and no one, no one will go into the water - a warning of high surf will only entice the Brace & stupid to go into the water - not many will jump in iof they think there are Sharks in the water.

[NCC1701A]

i say the Russians and Chinese should be allowed to swim. Next case.