PHUKET lifesavers are to be given almost double the budget - 20 million baht for the next 12 months - and should be back on the beaches in April, Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation chief executive Paiboon Upatising told Phuketwan at ITB Berlin. Some are still working as volunteers on key beaches although the formal contract has expired.


TALKS this week between the Lifeguard Club of Phuket and the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation are likely to determine whether Phuket has a year-round lifeguard service on its beaches.

At present, some key Phuket beaches are being guarded on a voluntary basis - others have no lifeguards, or some at odd times.

Improved services - with up to 20 extra lifeguards being added and a contract that runs for 12 months instead of 10 months - are a likely outcome if this week's talks go well.

Lifeguard chief Prathayut ''Nut'' Cheryon took a stand to try to improve the terms of the previous contract, and it appears Phuket's swimmers may gain a better deal as a result.

Precise terms now under consideration cannot be revealed at this stage, but the current team of 83 lifeguards that perform duties on 13 key beaches popular with tourists is likely to be increased by up to 20 personnel.

While a decision is being made, some lifeguards are voluntarily patrolling beaches, even though the contract expired on February 26.

At Karon and at Nai Harn - two beaches where the dangers have become evident - local municipalities have interceded and asked for lifeguards to stay on duty.

Karon, which has an allocation of 12 lifeguards for a four-kilometre beach, and where nine swimmers drowned between April and February, is likely to have numbers boosted to closer to 20 personnel.

Surin, another beach that can be turbulent in the monsoon season, will have its five lifeguards increased to seven.

The Phuket Lifeguard Club's service has already improved transparency, detailing all incidents, so that swimmers can decide for themselves which beaches are safe and which are risky, and at what times of the year.

If the ''new deal'' for Phuket goes ahead, further improvements in training, skills and equipment can be anticipated, with the club developing the capacity to increase staff at specific beaches if there is an unexpected influx of swimmers at a particular beach on the day.

The number of drownings in Phuket waters and in pools, lagoons and canals fell last year, but with 13 deaths at beaches between April and February, further reductions are desirable.