PHUKET: Lifeguards on the holiday island of Phuket are in despair because authorities do not understand or support their important role in protecting the lives of tourists and residents.
Yet again, the service is being put out to tender, which means any company can bid to control the 22 million baht that puts 88 lifeguards on Phuket's 13 most popular beaches.
Delays in signing a deal have in the past left Phuket's beaches unprotected for as long as seven weeks during the dangerous monsoon season, which usually begins in April.
But the need to keep lifeguards on the beaches every day, all year long appears to be lost on the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation, which treats the contract for the lifeguards as it would any other business arrangement.
In most countries where lifeguards are appreciated, the service is considered to be essential in same way as police or firemen are essential services.
''The PPAO wants bidding companies to deposit 1.2 million baht and quite frankly, that's money we don't have,'' said Phuket Lifeguard Service spokeswoman Tanya Chuayuan.
She and her husband have been the mainstays in developing the skills of lifeguards and bringing about a greater awareness among Thais especially of the need for awareness and safety in the sea.
''The numbers of people rescued have dropped in the four years that we've been committed to the role from about 1000 in the first year to about 500 last year,'' she said. ''Lives continue to be saved.
''For some reason, the need for continuity in the lifeguard system escapes the island's officials.''
Insult was added to injury recently when the Governor of Phuket suggested that all resorts across Phuket should inform all guests about his rules for ''10 percent zones'' on Patong, Karon, Kamala and other key Phuket beaches, where all beach chairs and byo umbrellas are about to be banned.
Yet for years, the lifeguards have been calling on resorts to help by warning all Phuket visitors about the deadly rip seas that drag people to their deaths at some times of the year.
The lifeguards say truthfully that the entire Phuket community - especially the resorts - must be committed to saving swimmers from drowning.
Like his predecessors, this governor appears not to understand that saving lives at beaches is even more essential to Phuket's international reputation than whether tourists are parked neatly in parts of the beaches where they don't wish to sit.
Once again, this year is likely to paint the disturbing picture of a Phuket where the priorities are not quite fully understood.
While keeping the process transparent is important is one of the reasons why the PPAO has such a good corruption-free reputation, Phuket's lifeguard service must not suffer these annual contortions.
Every year that nothing changes, onlookers tend to form the impression that Thailand's holiday island could be a place where swimmers' lives are of secondary importance to money. It's about time that changed.
Yet again, the service is being put out to tender, which means any company can bid to control the 22 million baht that puts 88 lifeguards on Phuket's 13 most popular beaches.
Delays in signing a deal have in the past left Phuket's beaches unprotected for as long as seven weeks during the dangerous monsoon season, which usually begins in April.
But the need to keep lifeguards on the beaches every day, all year long appears to be lost on the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation, which treats the contract for the lifeguards as it would any other business arrangement.
In most countries where lifeguards are appreciated, the service is considered to be essential in same way as police or firemen are essential services.
''The PPAO wants bidding companies to deposit 1.2 million baht and quite frankly, that's money we don't have,'' said Phuket Lifeguard Service spokeswoman Tanya Chuayuan.
She and her husband have been the mainstays in developing the skills of lifeguards and bringing about a greater awareness among Thais especially of the need for awareness and safety in the sea.
''The numbers of people rescued have dropped in the four years that we've been committed to the role from about 1000 in the first year to about 500 last year,'' she said. ''Lives continue to be saved.
''For some reason, the need for continuity in the lifeguard system escapes the island's officials.''
Insult was added to injury recently when the Governor of Phuket suggested that all resorts across Phuket should inform all guests about his rules for ''10 percent zones'' on Patong, Karon, Kamala and other key Phuket beaches, where all beach chairs and byo umbrellas are about to be banned.
Yet for years, the lifeguards have been calling on resorts to help by warning all Phuket visitors about the deadly rip seas that drag people to their deaths at some times of the year.
The lifeguards say truthfully that the entire Phuket community - especially the resorts - must be committed to saving swimmers from drowning.
Like his predecessors, this governor appears not to understand that saving lives at beaches is even more essential to Phuket's international reputation than whether tourists are parked neatly in parts of the beaches where they don't wish to sit.
Once again, this year is likely to paint the disturbing picture of a Phuket where the priorities are not quite fully understood.
While keeping the process transparent is important is one of the reasons why the PPAO has such a good corruption-free reputation, Phuket's lifeguard service must not suffer these annual contortions.
Every year that nothing changes, onlookers tend to form the impression that Thailand's holiday island could be a place where swimmers' lives are of secondary importance to money. It's about time that changed.
22 millions baht for 86 guards for 12 months is just 21317THb per one guard, that includes:
- gross salary
- soc.contributions
- expenses on uniform and equipment
- profit of the company.
And number of lifeguard has been cut last year from 104 to 86.
Obviously, bdg need to be doubled to have more lifeguards, better equipped, and, yes, also better paid.
Not enough money in provincial coffers? Then, what about that half of hotels (not guest houses) are not registered as hotels and don't pay provincial hotel tax from its revenue? Is it so difficult to enforce? Obviously not, one may have a genuine wish to...
At the same time, before "Beach Reform", it seems that many lifeguards take their positions in order to run watersports businesses, and thus be in full control of the beach ( Nai Harn and others..)
Oh yes, and Towers? These need to be rebuilt too - and there is a bufget to be allocated for this purpose too.
Posted by Sue on March 18, 2015 14:51