"We went to the beach and noticed that the red flags were flying."

What is wrong with these people! She saw the red flags and still went for a swim. This is a sad story, but it really becomes difficult to feel sympathy when warning flags are disregarded. The people I feel sad for are her family.

People, stop being foolish with your lives while on holiday. If you see a red flag, don't be lazy, go to another beach. Last I heard, there are tons of beach on the island of Phuket.

Posted by Anonymous on July 5, 2011 13:07

Ed: To show an in-flight video warning about Phuket beaches would not be possible with modern aircraft because the entertainment management systems store pre-recorded channels on a central server which offers a video on demand service to the passenger and the entire airline's fleet will have mostly the same channels. Thus a passenger watching a PTV could be watching a Phuket beach warning while landing in Frankfurt or anywhere else. On older type aircraft (such as some used by THAI) using the projector to drop down CRT screen method, it would be possible to insert a cassette bearing a message, but these screens have to be stowed prior to final approach, and the projector system is rapidly approaching obsolescence.

Posted by Pete on July 5, 2011 15:57

"Intelligence doesn't come into it."

Perhaps not, but common sense does, and surely you would expect mature adults to exhibit a little more than to enter the water after sunset and with red flags flying?

Do you really believe that repetitive warnings would help such people?

Posted by Andy on July 5, 2011 17:27

If an in-flight video would help then I am all for it but editor surely you have to admit that the deaths are not only senseless there is a certain Darwinian element here. People, even on vacation, do have the ability to reason and certainly in this particular case it would seem other than physical restraint it would have been hard to avoid a tragedy. Given the crashing waves, it was after dark, after a big meal, knew the red flags were out, knew what they meant and still they went out. As noble as your objective is, as much as I agree with its sentiment in a free society you can only do so much and at some point you have to say we have done all we can and is reasonable. People, for both good and bad, are going to do what they do and I do think a more than reasonable effort is being made here locally. I have seen flyers, signs, more lifeguards added with better training, hotel warnings, red flags and the obvious signs provided by nature itself that the beach is dangerous. It seems to have little effect and short of physical restraint I think at some point the onus is on the individual. I do believe that we are all responsible and accountable for our own actions.

Posted by Martin on July 5, 2011 19:47

sorry ed disagree with you red flags means no swimming especially as they are from Australia where they are taught that in school no matter what the agents say, working in Brazil at the moment as soon as red flags are up life guards get everyone out of the water except surfers and body boarders and I dont see no warning signs in brochures about rip tides in Brazil and they are fairly common with the south atlantic currents

The only death I have heard about in the last year was a brit on an island without lifeguard supervision

Posted by Michael on July 5, 2011 21:17

I watched a family group of Russians come to swim at Karon today where the Australian woman went missing.

Ed, Did you say anything to them?

Posted by john s on July 6, 2011 09:47

I think its sad that some are referring to this as a stupid act. This could happen to anyone. Let's think about looking forward to your dream holiday and being overwhelmed with the excitement of actually being there. Flags or no flags she would have wanted to enjoy her dream holiday and perhaps an evening swim wasn't the best idea but i truly think the possible danger would have been lost in her moment of excitement, something that most people can probably understand if not admit to doing themselves at some point.

Posted by Anonymous on July 6, 2011 17:20

good excuse.... ed..... maybe they spoke english as well.... you preach on the pulpit but do nothing.

Posted by john s on July 7, 2011 10:30

When I was 25 I got drunk with some backpackers on that beach and at sunset went for a swim. After a very short time I found I was in very deep. No one on the beach could see me because of the sunset. I had to swim, very hard, for two hours before I finally made it back onto the beach, very far away from where I started. A terrifying experience and I am glad I survived.

Posted by Blackmambo on July 7, 2011 13:14

I lived at Karon beach a number of years ago & every wet season some Eurpeans would go swimming and drown. The confusing thing is that the Thais fly flags on the beach when the conditions are deadly whereas we fly flags to show what areas of the beach are safe.

Posted by Anonymous on July 7, 2011 14:34