PHUKET: It may be a grey Phuket day but the water, although flecked with white-caps, looks delightful. I've paid for my beach holiday. I am going for a swim. I am going to swim!
At a spot in the photograph above, a Korean tourist decided to take a plunge, no matter what. He twice resisted the pleas of lifeguards to consider his safety, to leave the surf.
A little later, as the man stood waist-deep in water, waving to shore, a wave dumped over him. He disappeared from view.
The lifeguards went into overdrive, risking their own lives to go to his rescue. But he was nowhere to be seen.
Days later, his body was found at sea, miles offshore.
The great irony of the drowning of the 45-year-old Korean man is that the beach where he disappeared, Kata Noi, is among the safest places to swim along Phuket's west coast.
A five-star facility, the Katathani Phuket Beach Resort, lies along the shore here, and the commitment of the resort and its staff to the safety of both guests and strangers on the beach is second to none.
Water safety experts advocate that all Phuket resorts deliver first-hand information about the dangers in the sea during the April-October monsoon season to newly arriving guests, and that's precisely what Katathani does with a brochure warning of riptides, and a whole lot more.
Since May the resort has taken on an even greater role in beach safety, spending a million baht to purchase equipment to protect Kata Noi swimmers all along the 850 metres of the beach.
Beach guards are stationed at six points, and a lifeguard team from a moveable platform tower can be speedily on the scene to help. A jet-ski, the best piece of rescue equipment, is on standby.
All staff at the resort are trained in cpr and there are monthly drills and an assortment of other safety processes. What the Katathani does to ensure the safety of people on the beach is exemplary.
Little wonder there's a tinge of sadness in the voice of the resort's Chief Executive Officer, Suchart Vikittipong. He has just hosted a tragic visit by the dead man's family, compliments of the resort.
''We are so proud of our staff,'' he said. ''They tried our best. The fact is, it doesn't matter how tight the procedures you have, there is always a risk.''
The lifeguards are locals and they are able to identify the safest and most dangerous places along the beach each day, and adjust their planning accordingly.
During the high season, a string of buoys designates two safe swimming zones. Because of the turbulent seas in the monsoon season, the buoys cannot be placed, so advising the beachgoers where and when to swim becomes the role of the lifeguards and resort staff.
''The tower moves depending on the best place to swim and the lifeguards patrol the beach,'' he said.
The problem beyond the resort's control is bravado. A tourist who wants to swim cannot be physically stopped.
''We have invested in a lot of equipment, more than anybody, with crp training for everyone,'' Khun Suchart said, ''with rescue rehearsals at the beach every month.''
There is no shortage of signage on the beach.
Khun Suchart said he had been working with the Katathani for 18 years and the recent drowning was unique.
''This guest checked in at 2pm and came down to swim at 4pm,'' he said. ''The flags were all red. The waves were quite big.
''Our security guard went to talk with him to warn him that it was not a good day to swim. He did not listen, so the security guard blew a whistle for the lifeguard as the man walked into the water.
''Our lifeguard talked to the man and he came back up. But as soon as the lifeguard turned back to the station, he went into the water again.
''He came with a friend. I think he tried to show off a little bit. The water was up to his waist. He turned back and waved. You know what happened? The wave came and wrapped him up. And after that, we have not seen him.''
Darkness descended quickly. The resort jet-ski and other rescuers from other beaches failed to find him.
''People do have that tendency to show off,'' Khun Suchart said. ''The embassy came and we set up a kind of 'war room' here for two days. We invited the family of the victim to come. We never dreamed a thing like this would happen. We did what we could.''
Bravado and the waves cannot be controlled.
The resort has examined the tragedy in great detail and from now on, lifeguards will be able to call a resort manager to the beach in an emergency. He or she will also be able to make the point about the dangers.
But lifeguards are unable to physically restrain a swimmer who chooses to swim, despite the many layers of good advice.
The Katathani and its staff will continue to do their best to make sure that everyone is listening.
At a spot in the photograph above, a Korean tourist decided to take a plunge, no matter what. He twice resisted the pleas of lifeguards to consider his safety, to leave the surf.
A little later, as the man stood waist-deep in water, waving to shore, a wave dumped over him. He disappeared from view.
The lifeguards went into overdrive, risking their own lives to go to his rescue. But he was nowhere to be seen.
Days later, his body was found at sea, miles offshore.
The great irony of the drowning of the 45-year-old Korean man is that the beach where he disappeared, Kata Noi, is among the safest places to swim along Phuket's west coast.
A five-star facility, the Katathani Phuket Beach Resort, lies along the shore here, and the commitment of the resort and its staff to the safety of both guests and strangers on the beach is second to none.
Water safety experts advocate that all Phuket resorts deliver first-hand information about the dangers in the sea during the April-October monsoon season to newly arriving guests, and that's precisely what Katathani does with a brochure warning of riptides, and a whole lot more.
Since May the resort has taken on an even greater role in beach safety, spending a million baht to purchase equipment to protect Kata Noi swimmers all along the 850 metres of the beach.
Beach guards are stationed at six points, and a lifeguard team from a moveable platform tower can be speedily on the scene to help. A jet-ski, the best piece of rescue equipment, is on standby.
All staff at the resort are trained in cpr and there are monthly drills and an assortment of other safety processes. What the Katathani does to ensure the safety of people on the beach is exemplary.
Little wonder there's a tinge of sadness in the voice of the resort's Chief Executive Officer, Suchart Vikittipong. He has just hosted a tragic visit by the dead man's family, compliments of the resort.
''We are so proud of our staff,'' he said. ''They tried our best. The fact is, it doesn't matter how tight the procedures you have, there is always a risk.''
The lifeguards are locals and they are able to identify the safest and most dangerous places along the beach each day, and adjust their planning accordingly.
During the high season, a string of buoys designates two safe swimming zones. Because of the turbulent seas in the monsoon season, the buoys cannot be placed, so advising the beachgoers where and when to swim becomes the role of the lifeguards and resort staff.
''The tower moves depending on the best place to swim and the lifeguards patrol the beach,'' he said.
The problem beyond the resort's control is bravado. A tourist who wants to swim cannot be physically stopped.
''We have invested in a lot of equipment, more than anybody, with crp training for everyone,'' Khun Suchart said, ''with rescue rehearsals at the beach every month.''
There is no shortage of signage on the beach.
Khun Suchart said he had been working with the Katathani for 18 years and the recent drowning was unique.
''This guest checked in at 2pm and came down to swim at 4pm,'' he said. ''The flags were all red. The waves were quite big.
''Our security guard went to talk with him to warn him that it was not a good day to swim. He did not listen, so the security guard blew a whistle for the lifeguard as the man walked into the water.
''Our lifeguard talked to the man and he came back up. But as soon as the lifeguard turned back to the station, he went into the water again.
''He came with a friend. I think he tried to show off a little bit. The water was up to his waist. He turned back and waved. You know what happened? The wave came and wrapped him up. And after that, we have not seen him.''
Darkness descended quickly. The resort jet-ski and other rescuers from other beaches failed to find him.
''People do have that tendency to show off,'' Khun Suchart said. ''The embassy came and we set up a kind of 'war room' here for two days. We invited the family of the victim to come. We never dreamed a thing like this would happen. We did what we could.''
Bravado and the waves cannot be controlled.
The resort has examined the tragedy in great detail and from now on, lifeguards will be able to call a resort manager to the beach in an emergency. He or she will also be able to make the point about the dangers.
But lifeguards are unable to physically restrain a swimmer who chooses to swim, despite the many layers of good advice.
The Katathani and its staff will continue to do their best to make sure that everyone is listening.
What a great story, showing how resorts can (and should) play an important role. Excellent role model in Katathani. I have listened to some hotel GMs, when asked if they felt they should warn their guests about the dangers, simply say "no" and that it was the tourists responsibility. Things need to change from hoteliers (and others).
Posted by Duncan on August 24, 2015 08:48