Phuket tourists ignore beach red flags, attacks lifeguards
Calls grow for tougher action against unruly visitors
Foreign tourists spat on and assaulted Thai lifeguards on Nai Han Beach in Phuket yesterday, August 25, after the guards warned them not to swim in the sea for their own safety.
Witnesses filmed the attack and shared the video with the Newshawk Phuket Facebook page to expose the tourists’ violent behaviour and demand action from local police and relevant government officials.
According to a local news agency, one tourist, reported to be an Iranian national, ignored red flags on the beach and attempted to swim at Nai Han Beach after closing time. A Thai lifeguard approached him and issued a warning about the dangers and the beach closure.
Unfortunately, the man became angry and allegedly called over four to five family members, who then attacked the lifeguard. A Thai woman who witnessed the incident commented online that one of the foreigners spat on the lifeguard before the assault.
Two lifeguards were seen fighting back in self-defence and trying to support each other as more members of the foreign group joined the attack. Witnesses intervened, prompting the tourists to stop and leave the scene.
The lifeguards later told the media that they worked hard to prevent drownings and other fatal accidents, and their efforts had recently proved successful as no deaths had been reported. They urged beachgoers to follow safety rules not only for their own protection but also to encourage lifeguards to continue their work.
The Newshawk Phuket page tagged several relevant government departments, calling for action against the foreign attackers. As of now, officials have not yet responded.
The incident comes after a series of tragic drownings in Phuket. On August 21, one foreigner drowned off Kata Beach while another, who was rescued from the water, was reportedly left seriously injured.
A foreign man who claimed to have saved one of the victims wrote online that no lifeguards were present and that locals and beachgoers had to assist with the rescue.
On the same day, another incident occurred in front of a resort between Banana and Nai Thon beaches. A Russian man managed to save his girlfriend from drowning, but was unable to escape the strong waves himself and drowned. That incident happened around midnight, outside lifeguards’ duty hours.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
