PHUKET: A Phuketwan reader captured these photographs of a dramatic rescue at Kata beach yesterday as Phuket's lifeguards faced a fresh issue: irate beach vendors.
People who have the franchise to make money from beach umbrellas and loungers on Phuket's beaches object to the life-saving cords and red flags being strung between their businesses and the water.
''It's another of the issues we face,'' said Phuket Lifeguard Services spokeswoman Prathaiyuth Chuayuan. ''Preventing people from trying to swim remains a difficult job.''
Yesterday marked the end of the short-term one-month contract between the Phuket Lifeguard Service and the Phuket Provincial Administrative organisation, which funds the beach patrols.
The new contract begins today.
Khun Prathaiyuth said tourists continue to ignore red flags and the red flags strung between poles that are now being used to ''close'' Phuket's 13 popular west coast holiday beaches at dangerousd points.
''We are still making more and we plan to use the ropes on beaches this weekend,'' she said. ''In some cases, even lifeguards' whistles won't work.''
The couple that the Phuketwan reader pictured being helped from the surf at Kata yesterday were from China, Khun Prathaiyuth said.
''They went for a swim right where we placed a sign warning of the dangers,'' she said.
Four swimmers of four different nationalities drowned at four different Phuket beaches in four days between Thursday and Sunday last week.
One swimmer, Gym Kho Kay, 32, who was pulled from the surf at Karon on Sunday, remains in a coma and on life support at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City.
Lifeguards hope that eight tourist drownings in eight weeks last year and four drownings in four days this year will prompt a comprehensive community reaction designed to save lives and Phuket's reputation as a year-round beach holiday destination.
The onset of the monsoon season brings greater dangers and more deaths than other times of the year but drownings have been known to occur on perfectly calm days, too.
June 25 Phuket's lifeguards string red flags across dangerous stretches of 13 Phuket beaches, effectively closing the most dangerous parts of the beaches.
June 24 Phuket authorities react by holding a crisis meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket City.
June 23 Phuket man Peerapon Nunark, 19, becomes drowning number four in four days when he disappears beneath the surf at Layan beach. Russian Gym Khao Khay is pulled from the surf at Karon in a coma.
June 22 Indian tourist Ramesh Chand Singhal, 49, goes into the surf at Kata with a bodyboard and drowns.
June 20 Two drownings within one hour as Belgian Laurent Jacques Leopold Wanter, 42, drowns at Laem Singh beach and Aleksande Poleshchenko, 29, drowns soon after at Patong beach.
June 19 Chinese tourist Chen Peng, 36, dies afterv being struck by a speedboat propeller in the water at scenic Pileh Bay, near Phi Phi.
June 18 Chinese tourist Ran Li, 23, drowns on a day-trip outing to Racha island.
June 14 Eighteen European envoys meet on Phuket and request more effort to improve marine and beach safety.
May 29 Chinese Ambassador Guan Mu makes a strong public plea on Phuket for more warnings - at the airport, at resorts and at beaches - to save more lives.
May 28 A Young Chinese tourist drowns on a day-trip from Phuket to Pai island.
May 21 British tourist Jeremy Thomas O'Neill, 37, is found dead on Patong beach about 6am. It is believed he may have misjudged the strength of the waves in darkness.
People who have the franchise to make money from beach umbrellas and loungers on Phuket's beaches object to the life-saving cords and red flags being strung between their businesses and the water.
''It's another of the issues we face,'' said Phuket Lifeguard Services spokeswoman Prathaiyuth Chuayuan. ''Preventing people from trying to swim remains a difficult job.''
Yesterday marked the end of the short-term one-month contract between the Phuket Lifeguard Service and the Phuket Provincial Administrative organisation, which funds the beach patrols.
The new contract begins today.
Khun Prathaiyuth said tourists continue to ignore red flags and the red flags strung between poles that are now being used to ''close'' Phuket's 13 popular west coast holiday beaches at dangerousd points.
''We are still making more and we plan to use the ropes on beaches this weekend,'' she said. ''In some cases, even lifeguards' whistles won't work.''
The couple that the Phuketwan reader pictured being helped from the surf at Kata yesterday were from China, Khun Prathaiyuth said.
''They went for a swim right where we placed a sign warning of the dangers,'' she said.
Four swimmers of four different nationalities drowned at four different Phuket beaches in four days between Thursday and Sunday last week.
One swimmer, Gym Kho Kay, 32, who was pulled from the surf at Karon on Sunday, remains in a coma and on life support at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City.
Lifeguards hope that eight tourist drownings in eight weeks last year and four drownings in four days this year will prompt a comprehensive community reaction designed to save lives and Phuket's reputation as a year-round beach holiday destination.
The onset of the monsoon season brings greater dangers and more deaths than other times of the year but drownings have been known to occur on perfectly calm days, too.
Phuket's Shocking Monsoon Marine Death Toll 2013
June 25 Phuket's lifeguards string red flags across dangerous stretches of 13 Phuket beaches, effectively closing the most dangerous parts of the beaches.
June 24 Phuket authorities react by holding a crisis meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket City.
June 23 Phuket man Peerapon Nunark, 19, becomes drowning number four in four days when he disappears beneath the surf at Layan beach. Russian Gym Khao Khay is pulled from the surf at Karon in a coma.
June 22 Indian tourist Ramesh Chand Singhal, 49, goes into the surf at Kata with a bodyboard and drowns.
June 20 Two drownings within one hour as Belgian Laurent Jacques Leopold Wanter, 42, drowns at Laem Singh beach and Aleksande Poleshchenko, 29, drowns soon after at Patong beach.
June 19 Chinese tourist Chen Peng, 36, dies afterv being struck by a speedboat propeller in the water at scenic Pileh Bay, near Phi Phi.
June 18 Chinese tourist Ran Li, 23, drowns on a day-trip outing to Racha island.
June 14 Eighteen European envoys meet on Phuket and request more effort to improve marine and beach safety.
May 29 Chinese Ambassador Guan Mu makes a strong public plea on Phuket for more warnings - at the airport, at resorts and at beaches - to save more lives.
May 28 A Young Chinese tourist drowns on a day-trip from Phuket to Pai island.
May 21 British tourist Jeremy Thomas O'Neill, 37, is found dead on Patong beach about 6am. It is believed he may have misjudged the strength of the waves in darkness.
Oh dear oh dear. You can lead a human to knowledge BUT you cant make them think. Keep those cameras rolling, the sea is still going to get more lives this season. Now the selfish beach chair venders want their piece of pie and to hell with tourists safety. Well chair venders, when the tourists don't come, the locals won't be hiring your chairs? Then what? Time for you to go swim in the rough seas and take your chairs with you.
Posted by Robin on June 28, 2013 08:11