PHUKET: Eighteen Chinese tourists have died while taking holidays on Phuket or in southern Thailand so far this year, says Chinese Consul-General Qin Jian.
''We are keen to make Thailand a safer destination for visitors,'' he told Phuketwan from his base in Songkhla province.
Chinese have died on Phuket or in the region in motorcycle crashes, with one recorded case near Phi Phi of a man struck by a propeller blade.
Most of the fatalities have been drownings, either on Phuket beaches or on snorkelling day-trips to nearby islands.
Both a former Chinese ambassador and European Union ambassadors have urged Phuket officials this year to make marine safety a priority for all tourists.
Close to 30 drownings have taken place at Phuket's beaches so far this year with more non-swimmers or poor swimmers arriving from China, Russia and eastern Europe.
Two Chinese died in motorcycle crashes on Phuket in September, the consul-general said.
In the latest deaths at sea, Sheng Caoliang, 31, disappeared into the surf at Karon beach on Sunday and Lin Hunhing, 30, drowned on a day-trip off Phuket on Tuesday.
''We need more help to keep the tourists safe,'' Mr Qin said. ''Those who use mobile telephones in Thailand get an SMS on arrival at the airport telling them about some of the dangers.
''But what we would like to see are billboards spelling out how dangerous the sea can be on Phuket and brochures in resorts.''
He said there was still a lack of understanding and poor communication between lifeguards and would-be swimmers, even if red flags were planted along shorelines.
''Many of our people think they are good swimmers when their only experience has been in pools,'' he said.
''Billboards along the beaches and brochures at the airport and in resorts would help.''
Water safety experts advocate direct verbal warnings on checkin, in the appropriate language. Some Phuket resorts attempt to give coy and casual advice, which has little impact.
Lifeguards now have have improved skills but are still vastly outnumbered. A Phuketwan reporter observed what happened on a sunny day when the surf was dangerous this week at Nai Harn.
The lifeguards set up a swimming zone between yellow and red flags.
But the zone was just as small section of a long beach, and scores of swimmers could not be bothered taking the trouble to walk along the beach so they could swim with safety between the flags.
Many resorts still fail to properly warn their guests and ignore their collective responsibility to protect tourists against Phuket's dangers.
''We are keen to make Thailand a safer destination for visitors,'' he told Phuketwan from his base in Songkhla province.
Chinese have died on Phuket or in the region in motorcycle crashes, with one recorded case near Phi Phi of a man struck by a propeller blade.
Most of the fatalities have been drownings, either on Phuket beaches or on snorkelling day-trips to nearby islands.
Both a former Chinese ambassador and European Union ambassadors have urged Phuket officials this year to make marine safety a priority for all tourists.
Close to 30 drownings have taken place at Phuket's beaches so far this year with more non-swimmers or poor swimmers arriving from China, Russia and eastern Europe.
Two Chinese died in motorcycle crashes on Phuket in September, the consul-general said.
In the latest deaths at sea, Sheng Caoliang, 31, disappeared into the surf at Karon beach on Sunday and Lin Hunhing, 30, drowned on a day-trip off Phuket on Tuesday.
''We need more help to keep the tourists safe,'' Mr Qin said. ''Those who use mobile telephones in Thailand get an SMS on arrival at the airport telling them about some of the dangers.
''But what we would like to see are billboards spelling out how dangerous the sea can be on Phuket and brochures in resorts.''
He said there was still a lack of understanding and poor communication between lifeguards and would-be swimmers, even if red flags were planted along shorelines.
''Many of our people think they are good swimmers when their only experience has been in pools,'' he said.
''Billboards along the beaches and brochures at the airport and in resorts would help.''
Water safety experts advocate direct verbal warnings on checkin, in the appropriate language. Some Phuket resorts attempt to give coy and casual advice, which has little impact.
Lifeguards now have have improved skills but are still vastly outnumbered. A Phuketwan reporter observed what happened on a sunny day when the surf was dangerous this week at Nai Harn.
The lifeguards set up a swimming zone between yellow and red flags.
But the zone was just as small section of a long beach, and scores of swimmers could not be bothered taking the trouble to walk along the beach so they could swim with safety between the flags.
Many resorts still fail to properly warn their guests and ignore their collective responsibility to protect tourists against Phuket's dangers.
For a country that jails people during the Christmas holidays (when they hope the world will not watch the news) for being outspoken, that jails people for "tax evasion" a country that allows thugs to move by force poor people to make way for tower blocks, that deports N.Korean children who escaped the regime back to N.Korea where they might face death for their actions do I need to go on - their concern on Phuket is some what strange.
Posted by Fiesty Farang on October 3, 2013 15:33
Editor Comment:
Nations are collections of individuals with different perspectives, FF, and for you to puzzle over why Chinese authorities might be concerned about the safety of tourists on Phuket is a little strange. It's like pushing back boatpeople: Australia still has lifesavers on the beaches for those lucky enough to get there.