Phuket Drownings

[Arliss Michaels]

Not sure of past statistics but from reading this latest article 30 so far this year is to me quite high http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phuket-...ve-days-18852/

When there in June ventured down Kamala Beach one day, red flags out, but still some people in the surf with waves almost breaking on the beach.

Growing up in a coastal surfing town, those similar conditions here would spell out a big no no and not worth taking a risk.

So is it silly tourists getting there abilities over expectations wrong, the need for more lifesavers or such, or the need for Authorities to take task these people who disobey the flags, or is it a bit of everything

[obes]

You've just gotta look at Bondi for an example of how dumb people can be.
Fully patrolled beach, with lifesavers everywhere, flags all over the place and the numbskulls (who for the most part can't swim) still choose to swim outside the safe zones.

[Mick]

The waves in Phuket are not big compared to other places, but they are not the danger. It is the less obvious rips and undertow that get people into trouble, even good swimmers who are not aware of local conditions. Thirty drownings thus far would be fairly typical..... expect that to double before the monsoon is done. After the first few each "drowning season" they don't seem to make the news much.

The locals are fairly clueless, and venturing into the water modestly attired in street wear doesn't help.

Tourists from far flung places have no clues; many probably seldom see the sea.

Local authorities have far more important things on their mind (like how to appease the tuk tuk and taxi mafia), to bother much about beach safety beyond a few signs, and delayed renewal of lifeguard contracts. I doubt that many of the powers that be venture much closer to the ocean than a leisurely lunch at some coastal joint on a day off.

The best effort I have seen was at a small Karon hotel, soon after the start of the monsoon one May. I was impressed with the advice the receptionist gave their Indian guests she was checking them in.

[justcruzing1]

For many years on the Gold Coast we had tourist drownings almost on a daily basis, or so it seemed.

The beaches are long and have many hirise resorts along them. In those days majority of tourists were Jap's and had no idea of surf, rips, undertow etc. 1/2 couldn't even swim in a pool. They would just walk out the front of the resort and into the surf, no idea at all. To them this was what they had come for "Take photo of me in the water".....last photo before the morgue shots.

The council and Life Savers took a 2 pronged attack, they produced a very heavy (explicit) brochure in 7 different languages. These were given to all the motels and resorts to be put on the table every time a unit was cleaned. They also had volunteer Life Savers in uniform, at the airport in the baggage claim area giving them out.

It worked as the numbers dropped by 80%??

I'm not sure, but at one stage the Aust. Gov. was going to have video's playing on all planes coming into Aust. i don't think they do now.

[Moo Uaon]

^ Japanese tourist numbers probably dropped by 80% 55

When i had my shop i was amused to see the big "Duty Free" shop at the end of Cavill Ave that had bus loads of Jap tourists taken there selling a brand of T shirt that i sold for $40 duty free @ $45!...welcome to Oz 555

[justcruzing1]

Yes Moo in those days the Jap travel Co's had them believing if they left the group they would be kidnapped and held as slaves, they also held all passports.
They use to bus them to certain shops only, where the tour guide got a neat 15% of what had been spent.
Likewise the fun parks.

I am guessing the Ruskies are doing the same now in LOS.

[Arliss Michaels]

Just off topic similar in Mexico, we did a day trip down from LA and the driver and hostie you could see we were on earners all the way there and within. After a few tequilas on the way back and another "recommended stop" we took the hostie to task over this as we refused to enter such establishment, but after learning what she and driver earned (or what she told us) we gave her a leave pass

[josho]

So is it silly tourists getting there abilities over expectations wrong, the need for more lifesavers or such, or the need for Authorities to take task these people who disobey the flags, or is it a bit of everything

i think it has to do with both,

there's around 20 million tourists that flock to LOS every year. then you have thousands of stupid tourists that dont follow simple instructions, and or cant swim in the first place 555

and to add there's not enough life saver's / facilities to cope with all the beaches & tourists.

so yes it's a combination of a few reasons why there's so many drownings in LOS

[TLandHim]

A few years ago at Patong, wandered down Sawatdirak Rd to the deck chairs at the beach
and a pick up was parked part on the road and sand with the engine running.
In the back were two dead farangs male in their 20s stacked like two logs of wood
with a thai guy sitting on the side of the ute shouting to other thais trying to fish another one out of the surf.

Very salutary warning to us.
A bit late for the dead guys though.

[RakThai]

For many years on the Gold Coast we had tourist drownings almost on a daily basis, or so it seemed.

The beaches are long and have many hirise resorts along them. In those days majority of tourists were Jap's and had no idea of surf, rips, undertow etc. 1/2 couldn't even swim in a pool. They would just walk out the front of the resort and into the surf, no idea at all. To them this was what they had come for "Take photo of me in the water".....last photo before the morgue shots.

The council and Life Savers took a 2 pronged attack, they produced a very heavy (explicit) brochure in 7 different languages. These were given to all the motels and resorts to be put on the table every time a unit was cleaned. They also had volunteer Life Savers in uniform, at the airport in the baggage claim area giving them out.

It worked as the numbers dropped by 80%??

I'm not sure, but at one stage the Aust. Gov. was going to have video's playing on all planes coming into Aust. i don't think they do now.

Who made the change in Australia? Who financed / finances the life guards, beach patrols, brochures and campains?
Local Gov, central gov, business owners?

Could the same works in LOS?

[justcruzing1]

Who made the change in Australia? Who financed / finances the life guards, beach patrols, brochures and campains?
Local Gov, central gov, business owners?

Could the same works in LOS?

In Aust. we have 2 types of Life Guard's. The full time paid by the local council's and then the voluntary ones that mostly serve on weekends but also put in time during the week where they can.

A great example....... Surfers Paradise was getting drownings in the early hours because of drunken kids and tourist, coming out of the night clubs and walking straight onto the beach and into the water, many fully clothed and we know what that results in.

The Paid council LG's don't start till 6am, most arrive at 5.30 and go over their gear etc but the drownings were from 3am on so some of the older Volunteers setup rosters where they go and patrol the beaches in the clubs vehicle until the paid guys arrive, then they go home and on to work.

The brochure's were paid by the council and were distributed by the chamber of commerce. They were very graphic, showing a bloated gray/black dead body in the waters edge of the surf.

The council LG's are supplied with a 4 wheel drive with paddle board's on roof racks along with 2 way and mobile phones, and of course loud speakers to scream at the people in the wrong place.

The clubbies (volunteers), raise money for their equipment by fund raising and sponsorship. They buy jet boats, jet ski's, paddle boards etc even the older style surf rowing boats.
They compete with each other in contests to see who has the best members.

Aust. leads the world in Surf Life Saving and run training camps for many different overseas countries.
That is how my niece met her now husband, he was over from England on an exchange program, one of the guys here went over to where he worked and taught them, while he was here learning.

i really don't think the Thai's would be all that interested or good ...... you know how Thai time works, well it doesn't work here 555555