This world is full of things to be afraid of. Living in a city, we spend half our lives dreaming of throwing everything in a bag and heading for the sea — if only to forget, for a little while, about the anxieties and hazards of this beautiful life.
Well, not so fast.
The sea has its own spectacular menu of life-threatening phenomena. And if we want to have an honest conversation about them, we’ll need a little statistics to put things in perspective:
Swimming is no joke.
Here’s the compressed version. Over the past year, from May 2024 to this May, 18 people died on Phuket’s beaches. That’s out of roughly 150 water-related incidents that, fortunately, ended without fatalities.
Eighteen drowning deaths works out to roughly one and a half people a month. Fifteen were men. Three were women.
Most of the deaths occurred in the area covered by Karon Beach, where nine fatalities were recorded. Patong, Ko Khao, Cherng Talay and Mai Khao each recorded two deaths over the year. The “safest” beach on the list, at least statistically, was Rawai, where one person drowned.
The victims came from a range of countries and ethnic backgrounds. Thais made up the largest group, with five deaths. Russia, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Myanmar, China, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia each lost one citizen. The United States and Uzbekistan lost two each.
And here’s the part worth thinking about: every one of those beaches has trained personnel on duty to prevent water-related incidents.
Here’s the staffing situation across Phuket’s major beaches:
Muang Beach — 42 lifeguards.
Patong — 40.
Cherng Talay — 32.
Kamala — 19.
Sakhu — 7.
Mai Khao — 3.
Rawai — 6.
As you can see, having a small army of lifeguards on the beach is not exactly a license to switch off your brain and outsource your survival to the people “who get paid for this.”
We’ve just learned that even 40 lifeguards at Patong couldn’t keep an eye on two swimmers over the course of a year.
Obviously, that’s not a criticism of the lifeguards. It’s simply another reason to think about your own safety before you hand the job over to someone else.
Since Thailand lifted its COVID restrictions, Phuket has seen a worrying rise in drowning deaths. The authorities have had to keep acknowledging new cases. Phuket’s deputy governor recently drew public attention to this new-but-well-forgotten problem:
“Despite the safety measures in place, both foreign and Thai tourists continue to lose their lives in Phuket. This is a tragedy. We need to reconsider the number of lifeguards on our beaches and make sure they have all the necessary equipment. We urge both tourists and local services not to let their guard down.”
All 18 of these tragedies happened while people were swimming. We’re not talking about freak accidents involving speedboats or fishing vessels.
We’re talking about ordinary people going for a swim. Which means the warning is pretty simple: for some people, a casual dip in the sea can be their last one.
So let’s go through the red flags you really shouldn’t ignore if you decide to get in the water — especially during monsoon season.
No alcohol.
If, after a few drinks, you suddenly feel an irresistible urge to go swimming, do yourself a favor and remain exactly where you are.
The sea is not going to sober you up. This isn’t a polar plunge.
Don’t swim at night.
Swimming in Thailand at night is roughly equivalent to walking naked into a jungle after dark — barefoot, without a flashlight, and with absolutely no idea what’s waiting for you.
You might get away with it.
You might also become tomorrow’s statistics.
Rip currents.
Rip currents are one of the most common causes of drowning, and you don’t have to be drunk to get caught in one.
Perfectly sober, perfectly healthy people can suddenly find themselves trapped in a conveyor belt of opposing waves with no idea how to get out — and then panic, exhaust themselves and drown. If you get caught in a rip current, don’t try to swim straight back to shore.
Swim parallel to the beach. That gives you a much better chance of escaping the current’s grip and then turning toward shore.
Try to swim directly toward the beach and the current can simply throw you back again and again, burning through your strength until there’s nothing left.
And, just in case this needs to be written down for the especially adventurous among us:
Don’t swim during a storm.
Storm surf can move surprisingly large rocks from the seabed. If you decide to challenge the elements and get into the water anyway, you’re basically stepping into a giant lottery machine.
Except you’re the ping-pong ball.
And the other balls are rocks.
Swim where there are lifeguards.
Despite the grim statistics, try to swim at beaches where lifeguards are actually on duty.
If you see red flags, don’t swim.
Not today. Not “just for five minutes.” Not because you’re a strong swimmer. The ocean does not care about your résumé.
Wear bright swimwear. Make yourself memorable to the lifeguards. Better yet, make them like you.
If they recognize you, they’re more likely to notice you — and that means you’re staying somewhere inside their mental radar instead of becoming just another anonymous body in the water.
For some expert perspective, we spoke with Witanya Chuayuen, Managing Director of Phuket’s lifeguard service, and asked how important it is to swim specifically in areas covered by lifeguards and equipped with safety infrastructure.
“Rip currents most often occur outside the areas marked by red-and-yellow flags, especially during Phuket’s monsoon season. They are dangerous and difficult to spot. Lifeguards are trained to recognize these currents and warn swimmers of the danger.”
We also asked Witanya what lifeguards are supposed to do if they see an intoxicated tourist heading toward the water while an active rip current is running.
Can they actually stop someone from entering the water before an accident happens?
The answer is yes.
“Lifeguards have the authority to prohibit swimming, warn tourists of dangers, recommend a safe depth for entering the water, and provide assistance when necessary.”
So remember this:
The lifeguards are on your side. And just because there are no red flags hanging over a beach doesn’t mean the sea has suddenly become safe.
Take responsibility for your own survival.
Stay sober. Respect the warnings. Don’t swim where you’re not supposed to. Because yes, the lifeguards may ultimately be held responsible if you drown. But you won’t be around to find out.
Well, not so fast.
The sea has its own spectacular menu of life-threatening phenomena. And if we want to have an honest conversation about them, we’ll need a little statistics to put things in perspective:
Swimming is no joke.
Here’s the compressed version. Over the past year, from May 2024 to this May, 18 people died on Phuket’s beaches. That’s out of roughly 150 water-related incidents that, fortunately, ended without fatalities.
Eighteen drowning deaths works out to roughly one and a half people a month. Fifteen were men. Three were women.
Most of the deaths occurred in the area covered by Karon Beach, where nine fatalities were recorded. Patong, Ko Khao, Cherng Talay and Mai Khao each recorded two deaths over the year. The “safest” beach on the list, at least statistically, was Rawai, where one person drowned.
The victims came from a range of countries and ethnic backgrounds. Thais made up the largest group, with five deaths. Russia, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Myanmar, China, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia each lost one citizen. The United States and Uzbekistan lost two each.
And here’s the part worth thinking about: every one of those beaches has trained personnel on duty to prevent water-related incidents.
Here’s the staffing situation across Phuket’s major beaches:
Muang Beach — 42 lifeguards.
Patong — 40.
Cherng Talay — 32.
Kamala — 19.
Sakhu — 7.
Mai Khao — 3.
Rawai — 6.
As you can see, having a small army of lifeguards on the beach is not exactly a license to switch off your brain and outsource your survival to the people “who get paid for this.”
We’ve just learned that even 40 lifeguards at Patong couldn’t keep an eye on two swimmers over the course of a year.
Obviously, that’s not a criticism of the lifeguards. It’s simply another reason to think about your own safety before you hand the job over to someone else.
Since Thailand lifted its COVID restrictions, Phuket has seen a worrying rise in drowning deaths. The authorities have had to keep acknowledging new cases. Phuket’s deputy governor recently drew public attention to this new-but-well-forgotten problem:
“Despite the safety measures in place, both foreign and Thai tourists continue to lose their lives in Phuket. This is a tragedy. We need to reconsider the number of lifeguards on our beaches and make sure they have all the necessary equipment. We urge both tourists and local services not to let their guard down.”
All 18 of these tragedies happened while people were swimming. We’re not talking about freak accidents involving speedboats or fishing vessels.
We’re talking about ordinary people going for a swim. Which means the warning is pretty simple: for some people, a casual dip in the sea can be their last one.
So let’s go through the red flags you really shouldn’t ignore if you decide to get in the water — especially during monsoon season.
No alcohol.
If, after a few drinks, you suddenly feel an irresistible urge to go swimming, do yourself a favor and remain exactly where you are.
The sea is not going to sober you up. This isn’t a polar plunge.
Don’t swim at night.
Swimming in Thailand at night is roughly equivalent to walking naked into a jungle after dark — barefoot, without a flashlight, and with absolutely no idea what’s waiting for you.
You might get away with it.
You might also become tomorrow’s statistics.
Rip currents.
Rip currents are one of the most common causes of drowning, and you don’t have to be drunk to get caught in one.
Perfectly sober, perfectly healthy people can suddenly find themselves trapped in a conveyor belt of opposing waves with no idea how to get out — and then panic, exhaust themselves and drown. If you get caught in a rip current, don’t try to swim straight back to shore.
Swim parallel to the beach. That gives you a much better chance of escaping the current’s grip and then turning toward shore.
Try to swim directly toward the beach and the current can simply throw you back again and again, burning through your strength until there’s nothing left.
And, just in case this needs to be written down for the especially adventurous among us:
Don’t swim during a storm.
Storm surf can move surprisingly large rocks from the seabed. If you decide to challenge the elements and get into the water anyway, you’re basically stepping into a giant lottery machine.
Except you’re the ping-pong ball.
And the other balls are rocks.
Swim where there are lifeguards.
Despite the grim statistics, try to swim at beaches where lifeguards are actually on duty.
If you see red flags, don’t swim.
Not today. Not “just for five minutes.” Not because you’re a strong swimmer. The ocean does not care about your résumé.
Wear bright swimwear. Make yourself memorable to the lifeguards. Better yet, make them like you.
If they recognize you, they’re more likely to notice you — and that means you’re staying somewhere inside their mental radar instead of becoming just another anonymous body in the water.
For some expert perspective, we spoke with Witanya Chuayuen, Managing Director of Phuket’s lifeguard service, and asked how important it is to swim specifically in areas covered by lifeguards and equipped with safety infrastructure.
“Rip currents most often occur outside the areas marked by red-and-yellow flags, especially during Phuket’s monsoon season. They are dangerous and difficult to spot. Lifeguards are trained to recognize these currents and warn swimmers of the danger.”
We also asked Witanya what lifeguards are supposed to do if they see an intoxicated tourist heading toward the water while an active rip current is running.
Can they actually stop someone from entering the water before an accident happens?
The answer is yes.
“Lifeguards have the authority to prohibit swimming, warn tourists of dangers, recommend a safe depth for entering the water, and provide assistance when necessary.”
So remember this:
The lifeguards are on your side. And just because there are no red flags hanging over a beach doesn’t mean the sea has suddenly become safe.
Take responsibility for your own survival.
Stay sober. Respect the warnings. Don’t swim where you’re not supposed to. Because yes, the lifeguards may ultimately be held responsible if you drown. But you won’t be around to find out.
Swimming Is No Joke
Original text translated by Claude