PHUKET: A young Chinese tourist drowned on a snorkelling day-trip off Phuket today, leaving the island open to an adverse reaction from Chinese envoys.
The 23-year-old man, named as Ran Li, was rescued once and was lying unconscious on a beach at Racha island when a second wave claimed him, according to initial reports.
He was among a party of 45 that went snorkelling for the day. The man and some friends ignored the guide's instructions not to go swimming after lunch, according to initial reports.
He was hit by a large wave, rescued by others, then dragged out again when a second large wave carried him off the beach about 2.30pm, say yet to be confirmed reports.
Chinese tourists are coming to Phuket in surging numbers, but Chinese Ambassador Guan Mu warned Phuket officials at a public gathering late last month that better safety standards have to be applied.
''Drownings happen too easily on Phuket and Samui,'' he told Phuket officials. ''These problems need to be solved.''
A Chinese man drowned on a day-trip to Racha island, a popular spot where speedboats take tour groups, the day before the ambassador visited Phuket.
And today Ran Li drowned on a snorkelling trip off the same popular spot.
The ambassador had told Phuket officials that tourists from China needed to be warned repeatedly about the dangers in the water off Phuket: ''More work needs to be done to educate tourists and save lives.''
Just a week ago, Phuketwan was told by the Chinese Consul-General in Songkhla, Xu Miangliang, that there had been no reaction from Phuket officials to the ambassador's call for improved safety standards.
Ran Li's body has been brought back to Phuket Vachira Hospital in Phuket City.
Chinese tourists are perhaps the group with the greatest number of needless drownings off Phuket in the past 18 months.
Many of them are not skilled swimmers or cannot swim at all. Sometimes they are not given basic instructions in how to use a snorkel safely.
Safety in the water was raised during Friday's meeting between European Union ambassadors and Phuket Governor Maitree Intrusud.
Better precautions are expected to be a topic again when ambassadors meet the Minister for Tourism and Sport in Bangkok on June 28.
Officials on Phuket stopped issuing monthly updates on drownings and road toll deaths on Phuket in April last year. Statistics for the two activities that claim most tourists' lives are no longer made available.
The 23-year-old man, named as Ran Li, was rescued once and was lying unconscious on a beach at Racha island when a second wave claimed him, according to initial reports.
He was among a party of 45 that went snorkelling for the day. The man and some friends ignored the guide's instructions not to go swimming after lunch, according to initial reports.
He was hit by a large wave, rescued by others, then dragged out again when a second large wave carried him off the beach about 2.30pm, say yet to be confirmed reports.
Chinese tourists are coming to Phuket in surging numbers, but Chinese Ambassador Guan Mu warned Phuket officials at a public gathering late last month that better safety standards have to be applied.
''Drownings happen too easily on Phuket and Samui,'' he told Phuket officials. ''These problems need to be solved.''
A Chinese man drowned on a day-trip to Racha island, a popular spot where speedboats take tour groups, the day before the ambassador visited Phuket.
And today Ran Li drowned on a snorkelling trip off the same popular spot.
The ambassador had told Phuket officials that tourists from China needed to be warned repeatedly about the dangers in the water off Phuket: ''More work needs to be done to educate tourists and save lives.''
Just a week ago, Phuketwan was told by the Chinese Consul-General in Songkhla, Xu Miangliang, that there had been no reaction from Phuket officials to the ambassador's call for improved safety standards.
Ran Li's body has been brought back to Phuket Vachira Hospital in Phuket City.
Chinese tourists are perhaps the group with the greatest number of needless drownings off Phuket in the past 18 months.
Many of them are not skilled swimmers or cannot swim at all. Sometimes they are not given basic instructions in how to use a snorkel safely.
Safety in the water was raised during Friday's meeting between European Union ambassadors and Phuket Governor Maitree Intrusud.
Better precautions are expected to be a topic again when ambassadors meet the Minister for Tourism and Sport in Bangkok on June 28.
Officials on Phuket stopped issuing monthly updates on drownings and road toll deaths on Phuket in April last year. Statistics for the two activities that claim most tourists' lives are no longer made available.
Was down at Rawai this afternoon and the amount of boats that went out was ridiculous even though the authorities have sent out warnings about the weather conditions. Once again they show that it's all about the money, who cares of a human life?
Feel sorry for these people who just want to get out as much as possible without thinking of the consequences.
Posted by Nicke on June 18, 2013 18:18