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Deaths of Chinese Tourists in the Phuket Region Must Cease

Tuesday, January 27, 2015
PHUKET: The reported drowning of yet another Chinese tourist while snorkelling off the popular day-trip destination of Racha island should be sounding alarm bells with Phuket tourism officials today.

He Hua, 38, was on a holiday outing with family and friends. Finishing the afternoon with a needless death was not in their plans.

Time and again, the story has been repeated on day-trip adventures from Phuket and around the Andaman region.

The body of the snorkeller is found face down, and cannot be revived. Or the person goes into the water after lunch and drowns.

The simple fact is that tour operators and speedboat crews are not showing due diligence in protecting the tourists entrusted into their care.

Chinese visitors often are poor swimmers and in some cases cannot swim at all.

The greed of tour operators inevitably means that they are bundled into life jackets and try snorkelling anyway.

Phuket's Marine 5 Office conducts a campaign to equip day-trip speedboats with life jackets. But it does little else.

The fact is, more Chinese tourists will die unless Phuket's Marine Office 5 and other officials around the region get tough with tour guides and speedboat crews and hold them responsible for the safety of day-trippers.

A few years ago, the then Chinese ambassador to Thailand warned that unless safety standards improved, China would cease to allow tourists to visit the Phuket region.

The needless deaths continue.

Unless tour guides and speedboat crews can offer proper supervision. the Chinese Government may well decide not to risk the safety of their citizens.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

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There is also responsibility on the part of the swimmer. No one FORCES them to go in the water. Too often the finger is pointed at lifeguards or tour operators, the skill set of the swimmer is not, and should not be their responsibility alone. If you can't swim, don't go in the water!!!!

Posted by Anonymous on January 27, 2015 09:41

Editor Comment:

Provided you know that the tour you are going on is not safe for you, that's fine. Do tour operators turn away poor swimmers, or even ask the question: how well can you swim? If the answer is No, the operators are at fault.

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Perhaps, TAT should make compulsory to have one TAT registered snorkeling guide per eight snorkelers maximum and all snorkelers will have to sign a waiver document stipulating they are able to swim at least 50 meters and in good health.
All serious dive operators do it with their divers around the world.

Posted by Whistle-Blower on January 27, 2015 12:04

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Don't hold your breath if you think Marine 5 office will do anything.Except probably blame the tourist

Posted by rich on January 27, 2015 13:21

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Empty airplanes and no tourist baht is when they will fix things after horse has long bolted the surprise is no Chinese ambassador is known to have ventured on one of these trips for a fact finding mission see what does go on
and thus draw first hand conclusions.

Posted by slickmelb on January 27, 2015 14:07

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C'mon Ed - The individual knows whether or not they can swim, if they can't then don't jump in the water. One has a duty of safety to one's self and shouldn't have to be molly-coddled by the tour guide!

Posted by Farang Tourist on January 27, 2015 15:43

Editor Comment:

Blaming the victim is always the resort of those who don't seek to take any responsibility.

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The tour operators issue them with quasi-life jackets which enable them to snorkel but do little if the get into trouble. A real life jacket prevents you from going facedown and ensures the proper head up position. But then you can't snorkel!

Posted by Tolsti on January 27, 2015 18:51

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Agree with you there Ed other countries even third world countries I have done water based trips usually get asked profeciency of swimming.

Posted by Michael on January 27, 2015 19:01


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