PHUKET: Monsoon storms are sweeping towards Phuket this week with lifeguards yet to return to the beaches because of stalled contract negotiations.
Forecasters predict waves of up to two metres all this week, with winds ranging up from 35kmh and the prospect of rain at 40-60 percent.
A concerned lifeguard called Phuketwan today to ask: ''Who is going to protect the tourists? No return to the beaches has been organised yet.''
So Phuket, promoted as a year-round world-class swimming destination, faces the most dangerous time of the year once again without proper attention to the life-and-death issue of adequately protecting tourists.
Prathayut ''Nat'' Cheryon, who runs the Phuket Lifeguard Service, confirmed today that no date had been set for the return of lifeguards. A spokesperson for the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation, which funds the lifeguards, could not be contacted.
Khun Nat said that the organisation had agreed to pay for new equipment but it would be months before that arrived, so lifeguards were busy making repairs to obsolete surfboards and floats.
''We will sign off on a new contract as soon as everything is in order,'' Khun Nat said. ''Meanwhile, we urge tourists to stay out of the water until lifeguards are back on the beaches.''
Disgruntlement among lifeguards is widespread, the anonymous caller with 10 years' experience told Phuketwan today.
''Everybody wants to show the world that Phuket has lifeguards but the administrators pay not attention to quality or the real numbers needed to keep people safe,'' he said. ''The equipment is never going to be as good as we really need.''
The budget of 22 million baht is 10 percent up on last year but the organisation originally wanted to have the lifeguard service spend three million of that money on the new equipment, which is where negotiations stalled.
With 35 deaths on Phuket's beaches or on daytrips to snorkelling sites from Phuket in 2013, more action is needed to reduce the horrendous toll, especially with non-swimming Russians and Chinese now coming to Phuket in vastly increased numbers.
''Authorities are not as concerned as they pretend to be,'' the lifeguard said. ''They have never bothered to visit the beaches to ask lifeguards what they think. We are simply left to risk out lives to save others for 10,000 baht a month.''
A summit on marine safety with the backing of the British Embassy, due to be held in January, has been postponed with no new date set.
A Phuket honorary consuls' forum, where the safety of tourists is usually discussed, was due to be held in February but was postponed with no new date.
Forecasters predict waves of up to two metres all this week, with winds ranging up from 35kmh and the prospect of rain at 40-60 percent.
A concerned lifeguard called Phuketwan today to ask: ''Who is going to protect the tourists? No return to the beaches has been organised yet.''
So Phuket, promoted as a year-round world-class swimming destination, faces the most dangerous time of the year once again without proper attention to the life-and-death issue of adequately protecting tourists.
Prathayut ''Nat'' Cheryon, who runs the Phuket Lifeguard Service, confirmed today that no date had been set for the return of lifeguards. A spokesperson for the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation, which funds the lifeguards, could not be contacted.
Khun Nat said that the organisation had agreed to pay for new equipment but it would be months before that arrived, so lifeguards were busy making repairs to obsolete surfboards and floats.
''We will sign off on a new contract as soon as everything is in order,'' Khun Nat said. ''Meanwhile, we urge tourists to stay out of the water until lifeguards are back on the beaches.''
Disgruntlement among lifeguards is widespread, the anonymous caller with 10 years' experience told Phuketwan today.
''Everybody wants to show the world that Phuket has lifeguards but the administrators pay not attention to quality or the real numbers needed to keep people safe,'' he said. ''The equipment is never going to be as good as we really need.''
The budget of 22 million baht is 10 percent up on last year but the organisation originally wanted to have the lifeguard service spend three million of that money on the new equipment, which is where negotiations stalled.
With 35 deaths on Phuket's beaches or on daytrips to snorkelling sites from Phuket in 2013, more action is needed to reduce the horrendous toll, especially with non-swimming Russians and Chinese now coming to Phuket in vastly increased numbers.
''Authorities are not as concerned as they pretend to be,'' the lifeguard said. ''They have never bothered to visit the beaches to ask lifeguards what they think. We are simply left to risk out lives to save others for 10,000 baht a month.''
A summit on marine safety with the backing of the British Embassy, due to be held in January, has been postponed with no new date set.
A Phuket honorary consuls' forum, where the safety of tourists is usually discussed, was due to be held in February but was postponed with no new date.
Phuket officials are like an alcoholic in denial. These festering problems facing Phuket are just not going to go away or solve themselves. With the tourist industry bringing in billions it's disgraceful they cannot find the money for this important service.
With many people now looking elsewhere for their beach holiday Phuket won't get back the quality tourists it has chased away. There are too many better options now.
Posted by Arun Muruga on May 13, 2014 15:50