The exercise was part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 (IDE) deployment which saw the RAN flagship HMAS Canberra, which at 27,000 tonnes is the largest ship in the RAN fleet, and the HMAS Newcastle make port in Phuket.
The event yesterday, Phuket Surf Life Saving Day 30 April 2019, saw the Australian Government donate 1,500 buoyancy vests (life jackets), 170 children’s size rash shirts, 20 rescue boards, 10 children-size “nipper” surf boards, six rescue tubes and a resuscitation mannikin.
Australian Ambassador Allan McKinnon was present to award certificates at the main ceremony, along with David Field of the Phuket Lifeguard Club, who for two decades has helped develop Phuket lifeguards life-safing skills through his association with the Surf Life Saving Association in Australia.
The Amb McKinnon yesterday also launched the second version of the Thai lifesaving manual, which was put together with help from Lifesaving Australia.
As part of the exercises yesterday, more than 170 children taking part in the Phuket Life Saving Australia – Thai Kids Water Safety for community training program took to the water with lifeguards and more than 40 personnel from the IDE deployment for surf safety training on some of the new equipment provided.
Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup warmly welcomed the effort by Australians to develop surf safety in Phuket.
“We support this cooperation between Australia and Thailand, teaching water safety to children on Patong Beach today,” she said.
“This training is for basic knowledge of self-survival and other skills in the water, as taught by the Surf Life Saving Australia and the Royal Australian Navy, who have extensive knowledge, ability and experience to teach children,” Mayor Chalermluck said.
Among the skills exercised in the water yesterday were basic swimming, nipper board training, using buoyancy vests, flag signals and basic CPR.