Sea rescue course in Phuket

PHUKET: A sea rescue course for 40 volunteers and government officers is underway at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) training center in Phuket.

The 45-day Andaman Sea Rescue Course, funded by DDPM region 18, began on April 19 and is scheduled to end June 2.

The course includes sessions on radio communication and maritime law by instructors from the Phuket Maritime Transport Office; first aid and fire extinguishing by the Merchant Marine Training Center; and sea rescue skills by the Royal Thai Navy’s Marine Tourism Security Unit.

The trainee group is made up of local villagers, officers and volunteers from DDPM offices from Phuket (13), Phang-nga (7), Krabi (5), Trang (8), Ranong (5) and Nakhon Sawan (2).

Training director Samruam Maneerath said, “There is not enough manpower in each province with proper sea rescue skills. We train these volunteers to handle marine accident situations. After the training, we will provide rescue boats and equipment for use in each province.”

Regarding the participation of two trainees from Nakhon Sawan, a land-locked province in Central Thailand, Mr Samruam explained that they provide water rescue services at Bung Boraphet Marine Sanctuary.

Bung Boraphet is a 224-square-kilometer expanse of freshwater lake and swampland east of Nakhon Sawan city that is also a popular recreational site.

— Pimwara Choksakulpan