Australian tourist dies swimming off Koh Samui beach, Thailand

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Australian tourist dies swimming off Koh Samui beach, Thailand

BANGKOK: An Australian tourist has died while swimming off a beach on the southern Thai resort island of Koh Samui, police say.

They say a Chinese tourist also died in a separate swimming accident off the same beach.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Apichart Jansamret said the two died on Saturday while swimming off Chaweng beach during high tide. Two other people were injured.

Full story: http://www.smh.com.au/national/australian-tourist-dies-swimming-off-koh-samui-beach-thailand-20160102-gly9y0.html

-- Sydney Morning Herald 2016-01-03

[trogers]

Apparently the beaches in Samui are more challenging than those of the Great Barrier Reef...

[jerome2]

Here there are more death in pool electrocution than drawning i think..sory i was answering to the toddler close call news

[ICECOOL]

Sadly people go on holidays and take a holiday from being smart and taking notice of warning signs...RIP

[kingalfred]

Looking at the sea on the east coast of Samui this week it is dangerous! Red flags on the beaches and I saw a sign from a beach hotel "be careful the sea". But lots swimming there with large waves and strong under current!

[stephenterry]

Yes, it's the undercurrent that traps swimmers like a whirlpool. On the mainland beaches as well it's pretty strong even when waves are gently lapping the beach. No use fighting it, just try and drift sideways to the edge. One time, I got carried about a mile down the coast before I managed to reach shallow water, and I'm a strong swimmer. It can be pretty terrifying.

[puukao]

don't do anything that will get you killed!!!!

d'uh...

[Ducking and]

This looks like another tantalising, and irresponsible, "half-a-story". It can only cause confusion. Chaweng is a very popular beach and many people swim in the calm waters off the beach every day of the year. The story gives no indication at all about what caused the deaths. And it does not tell us what the dangers were at this particular time which caused the erection of the "No swimming" signs. Thailand being Thailand, most people don't take notice of all sorts of signs over here (which are wrong for the majority of the time) and to erect signs without stating what people need to warned of is not going to achieve anything.

[maingmoom]

This looks like another tantalising, and irresponsible, "half-a-story". It can only cause confusion. Chaweng is a very popular beach and many people swim in the calm waters off the beach every day of the year. The story gives no indication at all about what caused the deaths. And it does not tell us what the dangers were at this particular time which caused the erection of the "No swimming" signs. Thailand being Thailand, most people don't take notice of all sorts of signs over here (which are wrong for the majority of the time) and to erect signs without stating what people need to warned of is not going to achieve anything.

I have swam on Samui beaches for many years and they are safe. If the red flags are up as apparently they were in this case, then notice must be taken. Those that don't may pay the consequences with there life

[novo58]

Every Australian should know what a RED flag on a beach means. The only question is ---how far away from the red flag area was the swimmer ??

[Zeberdee]

It happened in front of Centara resort just before I was there.

There's a red flag right there about 50m off the beach.

I saw 3 people rescued on New Year's Day also. They looked in a bad way. I've since read 2 were released from hospital the other is still there but in a stable condition.

As much as people dislike jet-ski's if they weren't there all 3 wouldn't have made it for sure.

Of course the RTP arrived about an hour later, stood around doing a lot of finger pointing. Nowhere near enough red flags there though.

[khunPer]

Sad.
The Southern half of Chaweng Beach has always been dangerous - holes and strong underwater stream - unfortunately accidents happens (almost) every year...

[Jai Dee]

One idiotic troll post and subsequent replies have been removed from this thread.

[mihalis]

Apparently the beaches in Samui are more challenging than those of the Great Barrier Reef...

Yea, like tourist dont drown in Australia....

[mihalis]

It happened in front of Centara resort just before I was there.

There's a red flag right there about 50m off the beach.

I saw 3 people rescued on New Year's Day also. They looked in a bad way. I've since read 2 were released from hospital the other is still there but in a stable condition.

As much as people dislike jet-ski's if they weren't there all 3 wouldn't have made it for sure.

Of course the RTP arrived about an hour later, stood around doing a lot of finger pointing. Nowhere near enough red flags there though.

As it happens all to often in Australia, people tend to not obey, even when conditions were bad, they will still go for a swim..

[SOTIRIOS]

...with 30 million tourists a year.....it is ....cheap...pathetic...criminal..... to NOT patrol...... EVERY beach open to the public.....

[Inepto Cracy]

Taken from a South African newspaper article, please swim with care.....

Rip tide warning at beaches

NEWS/SOUTH-AFRICA/WESTERN-CAPE /

22 December 2015 at 12:04pm

By: Henri du Plessis

Cape Town - The National Sea Rescue institute has warned holidaymakers at the coast to be extremely careful of rip currents, as the full moon spring tide builds up to Christmas Day.

One of this month’s two spring tides falls on Christmas Day, when many people go to the beach, NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said.

And as the extra high tide brought this week by the growing full moon builds, so too does the power of the many rip currents along the coast.

“The full moon spring tide will peak on Christmas Day. And between now and Christmas Day high tide will gradually get higher each day and low tide will gradually get lower each day,” Lambinon said.

“It will be building up to a peak on Christmas Day and these higher-than-normal high tides and the lower-than-normal low tides will last for at least the next 10 days.

“Stronger than normal rip currents will be experienced around the coastline during this period.”

Lambinon explained that there are two types of rip current – one type can move as the seabed changes, while others remain in place, especially near permanent features such as pier heads or rock formations.

“Essentially, it is just that we want people to be careful and make sure they can identify rip currents in order to stay out of danger,” Lambinon said.

Rip current are caused after water flows in towards the beach over shallow water or sandbanks as waves.

To get back out to sea it often forms a rip – or “river” of water – between two sand banks or any other structure in the water.

According to the NSRI, rips are able to develop where there are breaking waves, these “rivers” of current produced by water draining from the beach and back out to sea happen all the time.

Often rips move so slowly they are barely detected. But they can develop into currents moving at speeds of up to two metres a second – faster than people can swim. Ranging in size from just a few metres to hundreds of metres, they can pull people to just outside the breaking waves, as far as more than 200m from shore.

Avoiding rips altogether is safest. Though not always visually detectable – stronger rip currents can give off some tell-tale signs.

These include water through a surf zone that is a different colour than the surrounding water, a break in the incoming pattern of waves, seaweed or debris moving out through the surf zone or isolated turbulent and choppy water in the surf zone.

The NSRI advised that people should swim only where lifesavers were on duty. Where they were not on duty, bathers should not go deeper than knee-deep.

“If you are caught in a rip current the primary thing to do is to stay calm and relax,” the NSRI said. “You are not going to win a fight with the ocean. Swim slowly and conservatively parallel to the shoreline or relax and let it carry you out past the breakers until it slacks.”

Contrary to popular belief, rip currents are not a so-called “undertow,” which is a misleading term. They will not pull you under the water. As long as you can tread water or float, you will be safe until you can escape the flow and head back to the beach.

When you head back in, do so at an angle to the shoreline. Again, maintain a slow and relaxed pace until you reach the shore or assistance arrives. If you are swimming at a beach where lifesavers are on duty – and you should be – they will most likely have seen you and will be on their way out to help.

Other tips include

talking to the lifesavers about local hazards before getting in the water and never swimming alone.

Netcare 911 also advised all parents and child minders to be aware of all water hazards in and around the home, including fish ponds, swimming pools, toilets, baths and open drains.

Since the beginning of the festive season, Netcare 911 has seen an increase in calls relating to drownings and water-related emergency incidents, a spokesman said.

“Drowning is listed as one of the top causes of unnatural death among children in South Africa. At the same time, these unfortunate events are easily preventable.”

Cape Argus

[oldsailor35]

Apparently the beaches in Samui are more challenging than those of the Great Barrier Reef...

Is that supposed to be funny or what Reefs are under surface Coral growths so do not have beaches, Islands have beaches.

[crutchy26]

The water at Chaweng ALL this week has been like looking at an old Whirlpool Washing Machine.

The water was rough & large waves continuously crashing in.

I took a pic of 3 'Security Guards' blowing there whistles & trying to get ppl out of the water!

a lot of common-sense was missing, in entering the VERY rough waters!

[evadgib]

Australian? Is this from Samui Times a separate drowning?

In a shocking blow to friends and relatives Michael Schimanek (54) from Linz in Austria drowned of the shores of Koh

Samui the morning of 31/12 at Laem Sor Beach while taking his daily swim.

http://www.samuitimes.com/tragic-death-robs-koh-samui-of-a-much-loved-resident/

[simple1]

Australian? Is this from Samui Times a separate drowning?

In a shocking blow to friends and relatives Michael Schimanek (54) from Linz in Austria drowned of the shores of Koh

Samui the morning of 31/12 at Laem Sor Beach while taking his daily swim.

http://www.samuitimes.com/tragic-death-robs-koh-samui-of-a-much-loved-resident/

DFAT have confirmed the death of an Australian off Chaweng Beach.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-03/tourists-die-swimming-in-thailand/7064810

[Beng]

some folks over estimate themselves. Years ago, I met a muscular french guy by the name of Zoltan.

He went into the sea at Maenam beach and said 'I gonna swim over to Koh Phangan', Tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen.

[Cloggie]

Very well explained at:

I lived near the sea for 30 years and people have no idea how dangerous the sea but also rivers and lakes sometimes are!