PATTAYA, Thailand – Drowning remains the leading cause of death among children under 15 in Thailand, with a shocking 8,394 fatalities recorded over the past decade (2014-2024). This averages 839 child deaths annually, or 2.3 per day. Disturbingly, 72% of children who witness a drowning incident attempt to help by jumping into the water, often endangering their own lives, while 77.4% of those who drown do not survive due to a lack of water survival skills.
Currently, only 23.7% of Thai children under 15 can swim, and a mere 4.4% possess essential water safety knowledge. Studies show that children who undergo survival swimming courses are significantly more capable in water safety and rescue, with 7.4 times more knowledge, 20.7 times better survival skills, and 2.7 times more ability to assist drowning victims compared to untrained peers.
In response to these alarming statistics, Banglamung Municipality launched the “Safety First” project on September 17 at the Banglamung Child Development Center. The event focused on providing water survival training to pre-schoolers, from pre-kindergarten to kindergarten 3.
The project aims to teach life-saving swimming skills and proper first aid techniques to children, providing both theoretical and practical lessons focused on drowning prevention and water safety. Banglamung Municipality hopes that continuing this initiative will lower child drowning rates and equip the community with the tools to stay safe in and around water.
