UPDATE
Supatanwa Choopert, 6, pulled unconscious from the Nai Harn pond, died at Vachira Phuket Hospital on Sunday evening. Questions are likely to be asked about who was responsible for his safety and whether the pond should be closed to all swimmers.
Original Report
PHUKET: Doctors are fighting to save the life of a six-year-old boy after he was pulled unconscious from the water near a spot at a Phuket beach where a seven-year-old boy drowned on New Year's Eve.
Late today the boy was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City where staff were trying to revive him.
He was pulled from the water this afternoon at a pond where water flows from Nai Harn Lake to the sea at the southern end of the beach - an estuary that is a popular spot for picknickers because it seems safer than the rolling seas.
However, the pond is not patrolled by the beach lifeguards, a spokesperson for the Phuket Lifeguard Club said today.
''We have been shocked by the two incidents and will call on the local municipality to close the pond to swimmers,'' the spokesperson said.
''The pond area is the responsibility of the local council. If they cannot guarantee its safety, then the area must be closed.''
On December 31, seven-year-old Methee Khunsuinhu drowned in the channel between the lake and the pond.
Tourists spotted the boy and jumped into the water to try to revive him, to no avail.
The boy was briefly kept on life-support at Vachira Phuket Hospital at the request of his family, although doctors admitted he never stood a chance of surviving.
The boy who was pulled from the water today was at the spot with his family on a weekend outing, according to early reports.
It's near the spot where a third boy, Max, 8, drowned on a family outing in similar circumstances on New Year's Day, 2010.
Phuket Public Health officials are still compiling the figures for drownings and the road toll on Phuket for 2011. No reason has been given for the delay.
Phuket's drowning tally to the end of November stands at 35 with one month's figures yet to be compiled, compared with 37 drownings on Phuket in 2010 and 57 recorded in 2009.
The total covers all drownings on and around Phuket, not just those at beaches. A Chinese tourist is reported to have drowned off Coral Island on Thursday.
Based on figures to the end of November, the road toll is likely to be down significantly in terms of deaths, but not injuries, most of which are associated with motorcycles.
If the pond is not patrolled then maybe it's time it was, all life is precious to have this stretch of water take any more young life's would be criminal.
I'm sure from the money Phuket gains from all its tourism there would be more than enough to cover the minimal cost of an extra life guard funded by the local government .
Posted by Scunner on February 5, 2012 20:52