Tragedy on Bang Tao Beach: Father and nephew drown despite warning

Tragedy on Bang Tao Beach: Father and nephew drown despite warning

On Saturday, November 1, a tragic episode occurred at Bang Tao Beach in Phuket when a 42-year-old man and his 13-year-old nephew drowned. The two, Phumisak Chantajaem and Natthawipa Sriprasit from Baan Phru Somphan in Thepkrasattri, had entered the water despite the widely visible red flags warning against swimming. Lifeguard Chief Witsarut Saman explained that the flags were put up due to the harsh monsoon waves and the dangers should not be underestimated.

The victims' families reacted to the incident with immense sadness. When the alarmed local population and interested beach visitors found out about the tragic events, there was great disbelief. This is not the first such incident as on October 6, a 16-year-old girl from Phatthalung drowned on the same beach after being swept away by strong waves.

Search operation and rescue operations

After Phumisak and Natthawipa drowned, Thalang District Chief Siwat Rawangkun launched a large-scale search operation. Numerous units took part - from the police and local rescue teams to lifeguards and divers from the Kusoldharm Foundation. Modern technologies were used to support the search operation: jet skis, drones and patrols on the shore helped to locate the two missing people.

Search efforts had to be temporarily suspended on Saturday evening due to difficult conditions. The search resumed on Sunday morning, but was again interrupted by high waves. Finally, the bodies of the two were found late Sunday evening near the original search area and removed to accommodate religious rites.

Previous incidents and important information

The sad list of incidents on Bang Tao Beach continues. On September 22, the body of a Bahraini tourist, Jasim Abdali Almeshkhas, who had entered the water with his brothers on September 19 despite red warning flags, was discovered. While his two brothers were rescued, Jasim was swept away by the strong current.

It is important to understand these tragic events as a reminder that beach safety is a top priority, especially during the monsoon season. In particular, warning flags that warn swimmers of dangerous conditions should always be taken seriously. Even if the temptation is great to take a refreshing swim in the sea, this can have fatal consequences.

We would like to appeal to all readers: take the warnings seriously to avoid similar tragedies in the future.

For more information about the Bang Tao Beach incident, you can read the article on The Thaiger read up.