The campaign will also see a series of Kid’s Water Safety Training events on Phuket to highlight the need for greater awareness of beach safety on the island.
Twelve Australian volunteers have been specially brought in to train local lifeguards on each of the main tourist beaches around the island.
The Australian delegation is also preparing a detailed manual during the training sessions that will be presented to the Phuket local authorities and serve as a blueprint for future best practice in surf life saving.
The news was made public today at a press conference at Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa, led by key members driving the initiative.
The campaign got underway yesterday as teams of professional lifesavers from Australia joined Phuket beach guards in completing beach safety audits at the main beaches along Phuket’s west coast.
The teams inspected key tourist beaches to identify danger areas and draw up plans of what types of essential coverage is needed where.
Tomorrow and Thursday at Patong Beach, in front of the Graceland hotel where the Patong Lifesaving Education Centre is located, Australian lifesavers and Phuket beach guards together will conduct basic life saving training, including basic lifeguard rescue skills and how to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
The training starts at 8:30am and concludes at 4pm on each of the two days, and is open to the public.
On Saturday (July 22), the lifeguards will hold Kid’s Water Safety Training sessions on Kamala Beach, in front of the MontAzure Beachfront Sales Gallery and HQ Beach Lounge.
The training is open to children of ages 7-15, and aims to teach kids about having fun while learning to stay safe at the beach. The education component of the program includes beach safety, sun safety, what a lifesaver is and what they do.
MontAzure, which has already launched its ongoing kids’ water safety initiative, today donated essential equipment, including automated external defibrillators and CPR training dummies, to Phuket lifeguards.
Setthaphol Boottho, Executive Director, MontAzure said, “We are pleased to support this initiative and to help increase awareness and knowledge of beach safety amongst local children and their parents by providing on going assistance and volunteer participation.”
The Kids Water Safety Program is part of an island-wide initiative that has been running for several years to encourage children to have fun while learning to stay safe at the beach. Young participants join in a wide range of games, sports and educational activities, which are designed to slowly build confidence in and around the water.
“The idea is to teach skills that will stick to the soul like sand from the beach and be carried for life,” explains David Field, Life Saving Development Officer from Australian Volunteers for International Development.
“These activities will lay the foundation to start a regular ‘Nippers Club’ on the island, not only to prevent sea deaths, but also to promote lifesaving as a sport,” he added.
The educational component of the program includes beach safety, sun safety, learning what a lifesaver is and what they do, as well as fun physical activities include wading, board paddling and beach games. Older kids are also introduced to some of the basic principles of surf safety, including general rescue techniques and first aid.
“We would like to see Phuket lifeguards to rise to Australian standards. Also, we want to encourage more Thai women to learn lifesaving skills,” Mr Field told The Phuket News.
Asked why do this for Thai people, he said, “Thailand is a great country, but Thailand has lots of people die every year. If Thailand is not safe place for tourism, then businesses will suffer. We must work together and make Phuket to become a better tourism destination.”
Capt Borwon Keawpromngam, Deputy Chief of the Phuket office for Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), today said, “I appreciate how everybody is united together for safety at Phuket’s beaches. We have to admit Australians have professional training. With this, we will learn what we can improve on and learn how to provide better lifesaving services – and better safety – in Phuket.”
Phuket Lifeguard Service Chief Prathaiyut Chuayuan told The Phuket News, “We would like everyone to join together to be a part of and to learn about lifesaving. All people are welcome.”
Mr Prathaiyut invited people interested in joining or supporting the training program to call him at 081-7974775 or email thailifeguard@gmail.com.
The Kid’s Water Safety Training is proudly supported by The Phuket News.