A video clip of the incident, shared by Facebook user ‘Kon La Fan, I’m poor. So I have to fight’, shows lifeguards using a surfboard to reach a 12-year-old French boy and his younger sister who were swept away while playing in the sea. The children’s parents were reportedly sunbathing on the beach and unaware their kids were in trouble.
Mr Arm, a lifeguard stationed at Kata Beach, said he noticed the children struggling in the water after being pulled out by a strong current. “They were alone and unable to get back to shore. The waves were very strong, and red flags had been placed clearly along the beach,” he said. He and his team rushed into the sea and brought the children safely back to shore.
Following the rescue, the parents thanked the lifeguards and offered them B1,000 as a token of their appreciation. The family was also shown the beach safety signage and taught how to identify flag colours that indicate whether it is safe to swim.
Lifeguards stressed that red flags mean swimming is strictly prohibited due to hazardous conditions such as strong waves or rip currents.
“Lifeguards are doing their best, but we need the cooperation of tourists and parents,” Mr Arm said. “The red flags are there for a reason.”
The incident comes amid a busy period for lifeguards in Phuket, especially at Patong Beach, where dozens of rescue and first aid operations were carried out in June, according to a report released by Patong Surf Life Saving.
Lifeguards rescued no less than 86 people from strong rip currents at Patong Beach last month alone, the report said.
Three of those rescues require the victim to be taken to hospital, the report added.
There were also multiple cases of marine animal stings, including jellyfish and sea cucumbers, which were treated on site. Four people sustained injuries from sharp objects or shells, with one case requiring hospitalisation, the report noted.
Eight tourists were injured while engaging in water sports, and three of them had to be taken to the hospital. There were six cases involving fainting, dizziness, or asthma attacks, including one incident related to marijuana intoxication.
At night, six tourists were warned not to swim in the sea, and two cases of intoxication required hospital treatment.
In total, 14 individuals were transferred to the hospital for further care, Patong lifeguards reported.
Lifeguards emphasised that many of these incidents could be avoided if beachgoers followed safety guidelines, stayed within designated swimming areas, and paid attention to beach warnings.