The remains of the watchtower were found strewn across the ground by lifeguards as they turned up for duty halfway along Karon Beach this morning, explained Prathaiyut Chuayuan, Chief of the Phuket Lifeguard Service.
“The weather finally took its toll, though all 12 lifeguard towers in Phuket have received little maintenance,” he said.
“Luckily this one is not in use that much as it is too far from where swimmers enter the water, but we will set up a tent for lifeguards so they can use that location as a base for their beach patrols,” he said.
The Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO), which is responsible for the lifeguard towers, will have workers inspect and begin repairs today, said Jutapon Thongjarean, head of the PPAO Tourism and Sports Office.
“We already had plans to fix that watchtower this week, but the wind and rain has been too strong,” she told The Phuket News.
“We have now contacted workers to make repairs there a priority. Another tower at Karon Public Park on Karon beach will be fixed also,” she said.
Ms Jutapon said repairs to four other towers had been ongoing since May.
“Three lifeguard towers in Patong and another tower at Kamala Beach have undergone renovations, which have only just been completed,” she said.