Lifeguards rescued the two tourists just north of Bangla Rd at about 3:45pm, Somprasong Seangchart, the chief lifeguard at Patong, told The Phuket News today.
“Both went swimming in red flag zones and did not listen to lifeguards,” Mr Somprasong said. He named the tourists as Mr Li Gengxin and Ms Liu Ge.
“After administering medical assistance to them on the beach, both were taken to Patong Hospital. We have been told that Mr Li has been discharged from the hospital already, but that Ms Liu is still recovering in the hospital,”he added.
Lifeguards also reported rescuing another Chinese tourist from dangerous surf yesterday, this time at Kata Beach.
“The tourist was rescued from drowning at Kata Beach at about 5pm yesterday,” said Vitanya Chuayuan, Deputy Chief of the Phuket Lifeguard Service.
“Our lifeguards recovered him from the water and gave him first aid on the beach. The man is okay and told lifeguards that it was not necessary for him to go to hospital,” she said.
Phuket lifeguards yesterday closed five beaches – at Mai Khao, Naithorn, Surin, Laem Sing, and Karon – due to dangerous waves.
“The entire beaches are blocked off with red flags with ropes blocking certain areas. Although the beaches are closed, we still have beach guards stationed there to keep people out of the water,” Chief of the Phuket Lifeguard Service, Prathaiyut Chuayuan.
“Please listen to beach guards, we want all to be safe while visiting our beaches,” he said. (See story here.)