PHUKET: It's likely to be two weeks or more before lifeguards return to the beaches of Phuket, a holiday island promoted as a year-round swimming destination.
Phuket has already been without lifeguards on the beaches since March 27, when an annual contract expired for a vital job that needs a better deal.
Yet to be determined is who will win the next annual contract to supply lifeguards to the 13 most significant beaches on Phuket, most of them on the popular west coast.
The arrival of the monsoon season on Phuket usually brings rip currents that have claimed many lives in the past.
With no lifeguards on Phuket's beaches and rip currents emerging, needless drownings are very likely to occur.
Shamefully, the question of the safety of swimmers appears to be overlooked as officials from the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation seem determined to haggle about the numbers of lifeguards on the beaches.
What may not be understood is that families from developed countries who lose relatives on Phuket's beaches while lifeguards are not present may well resort to seeking compensation through the Thai courts, and that could mean the PPAO facing an action or more than one action involving millions of dollars.
The fact that such petty haggling takes place almost every year over such an essential service for a beach holiday island with an international reputation only indicates how out of touch the Phuket authorities have become to the real needs of tourists.
Phuketwan has in the past interviewed friends and relatives of tourists who have drowned needlessly on Phuket and it is a task we do not wish to have to perform again.
In recent weeks, the efforts of Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong have been directed towards drawing lines on the beaches to separate the umbrella permitted zones from the no umbrella zones.
He is the one who will bear the brunt of negative reaction if a single tourist drowns on a Phuket beach without lifeguards.
Priorities on Phuket appear to be constantly obscured by unimportant matters when the issues that really count are all about life and death.
Phuket's lifeguards should be ranked with police and firemen and not have to submit to the ridiculous indignity of an annual tendering process.
The fact that officials cannot get their act together early enough to avoid this shameful neglect every year is a black mark against all Phuket authorities.
Now the PPAO wishes to argue that their 22 million baht should buy 95 lifeguards, not 88.
There is a quaint Australian phrase, and coming from the country that has a good reputation for lifesaving, we feel it's appropriate: ''Pull your heads in.''
Lifeguards need to be back on Phuket's beaches before the monsoon breaks.
Unless the PPAO regains some common sense within the next day or so, Phuketwan will be doing its best to inform international media about the dangers and advising all swimmers to find an alternative destination.
Phuket has already been without lifeguards on the beaches since March 27, when an annual contract expired for a vital job that needs a better deal.
Yet to be determined is who will win the next annual contract to supply lifeguards to the 13 most significant beaches on Phuket, most of them on the popular west coast.
The arrival of the monsoon season on Phuket usually brings rip currents that have claimed many lives in the past.
With no lifeguards on Phuket's beaches and rip currents emerging, needless drownings are very likely to occur.
Shamefully, the question of the safety of swimmers appears to be overlooked as officials from the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation seem determined to haggle about the numbers of lifeguards on the beaches.
What may not be understood is that families from developed countries who lose relatives on Phuket's beaches while lifeguards are not present may well resort to seeking compensation through the Thai courts, and that could mean the PPAO facing an action or more than one action involving millions of dollars.
The fact that such petty haggling takes place almost every year over such an essential service for a beach holiday island with an international reputation only indicates how out of touch the Phuket authorities have become to the real needs of tourists.
Phuketwan has in the past interviewed friends and relatives of tourists who have drowned needlessly on Phuket and it is a task we do not wish to have to perform again.
In recent weeks, the efforts of Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong have been directed towards drawing lines on the beaches to separate the umbrella permitted zones from the no umbrella zones.
He is the one who will bear the brunt of negative reaction if a single tourist drowns on a Phuket beach without lifeguards.
Priorities on Phuket appear to be constantly obscured by unimportant matters when the issues that really count are all about life and death.
Phuket's lifeguards should be ranked with police and firemen and not have to submit to the ridiculous indignity of an annual tendering process.
The fact that officials cannot get their act together early enough to avoid this shameful neglect every year is a black mark against all Phuket authorities.
Now the PPAO wishes to argue that their 22 million baht should buy 95 lifeguards, not 88.
There is a quaint Australian phrase, and coming from the country that has a good reputation for lifesaving, we feel it's appropriate: ''Pull your heads in.''
Lifeguards need to be back on Phuket's beaches before the monsoon breaks.
Unless the PPAO regains some common sense within the next day or so, Phuketwan will be doing its best to inform international media about the dangers and advising all swimmers to find an alternative destination.
This is actually ridicules. Every year the same situation. I do not understand why the Local Government do not start the negotiations at least 3 month before the present contract expire for the next year. They never LEARN ! Phuket is a Tourist destination and should have Life Guards on Duty 365 Days a year.
Posted by MJ on April 22, 2015 20:15