“Today, the sky is still clear, but we have about two-metre-high waves. Please enter the water only in the areas between the yellow-red flags, and follow lifeguards’ suggestions,” Nai Harn chief lifeguard Chula Nontree told The Phuket News today (June 8).
“Right now, we do not have many tourists on weekdays, but the beach is quite crowded on days with good weather. I want every person to keep social distance in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Mr Chula added.
The heavy weather is forecast to continue today through Saturday (June 8-12), Rungrawee Oankhot, Director of the Southern Meteorological Center, West Coast, warned in an announcement earlier today.
“The strong southwest monsoon prevails over the upper Andaman Sea and the upper southwest. This causes the southern and western regions to still have heavy rainfall in some areas in Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket and Krabi,” Ms Rungrawee noted.
“People living in high-risk areas must be aware of any dangers caused by heavy rain,” Ms Rungrawee warned.
Wind waves in the Andaman Sea are still strong, with wave heights reaching two to three metres, and above three metres in thunderstorm areas, Ms Rungrawee added.
Small boats should stay ashore during the heavy weather, she added, and urged people to closely follow announcements from the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD).
Meanwhile, the International Surf Lifesaving Association (ISLA) on Sunday (June 6) announced The Phuket News as ISLA SE Asia’s ‘Guardian Lifesavers of 2020’ “for their ongoing and relentless efforts to improve water safety in Phuket.”
“Their efforts directly contributed to the training of sixty Ocean Lifeguards on Phuket, and the donation of needed lifesaving equipment, which is still in use to this day. In addition, beaches such as Surin, BangTao, and Layan have had continuous qualified lifeguard coverage during the Covid-19 pandemic as a direct result of their efforts, wrote Daren Jenner, Thailand Section Chief, International Surf Lifesaving Association.
“The combined efforts of those listed above have directly resulted in untold numbers of residents and visitors alike returning home alive and well, instead of perishing in Phuket’s ocean waters,” he added.