Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

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europtimiste
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Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by europtimiste »

Jesse wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:54 am I’ve been kiting here for years and was appalled a few weeks ago to see the city of Hua Hin had installed this buoy system the entire length of the beach. I kited only once since then, nearly got tangled in the line of buoys and have not been out since then. I know a couple other liters that have become tangled with the buoy system. There have been numerous conversations among the people kiting that it is only a matter of time until someone dies because of this ill-conceived buoy system idea. Sadly that is now true. How many other people will die before the city removes this deadly hazard ?
Kites are dangerous, I have seen too many landing on people sitting at beach restaurants, they are a permanent danger for swimmers. Should be limited to some areas.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by JWWhite »

hopefully this tragedy will lead to a rethink by the kiters and they will relocate to a more appropriate area
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by HHTel »

It needs for the kite shop/school to move.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by 404cameljockey »

Jesse wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:54 am I’ve been kiting here for years and was appalled a few weeks ago to see the city of Hua Hin had installed this buoy system the entire length of the beach. I kited only once since then, nearly got tangled in the line of buoys and have not been out since then. I know a couple other liters that have become tangled with the buoy system. There have been numerous conversations among the people kiting that it is only a matter of time until someone dies because of this ill-conceived buoy system idea. Sadly that is now true. How many other people will die before the city removes this deadly hazard ?
The danger is from bathers having their heads sliced open by jet skiers or kite boarders. The buoys are the right way forward, to keep jetskiers away from the shallow bathing areas. Kite surfers should not expect to be able to criss-cross at speed in their dozens from beach to deeper water and back again other than in areas of beach away from the main town and which are not widely used by families for bathing.

As HHTel says, the kite school belongs elsewhere.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by Sabai Jai »

I have to agree wholeheartedly that the Kite surfers should relocate. Hua Hin is a family resort and I have seen so, so many near accidents in recent years where people swimming or paddling in the sea have been terrified or nearly hit by irresponsible Kiters and people walking on the beach nearly hit by Kites crashing to the ground with an almighty bang - it would certainly maim or kill a child. What do the Kite surfers think the buoys were installed for? It would appear that they don't think at all about any thing other than themselves.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by Khundon1975 »

Kite surfing and jet skiing needs a separate, designated area , well away from bathers and it should be policed. However the chances of any of the above happening is slim to say the least.
Sooner or later a bather or some child playing at the waters edge is going to get killed and the Thai authorities will just shrug their shoulders because there is money to be made and that is all that matters to these people.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by usual suspect »

This topic was brought up over lunch with a group of ex-pats..& the overall feeling was similar to the posts above..plus many did not like the attitude of the kite-surfers when on the beach setting up..any beach-walkers have to wait or make a detour to avoid verbal-abuse.. (These folk really do think the beach is theirs!) :tsk: :tsk:
Many have re-located down to South of Pak Nam Pran.
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Re: Kite Surfer Dies Off Hua Hin Beach

Post by JWWhite »

Jesse wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:54 am I’ve been kiting here for years and was appalled a few weeks ago to see the city of Hua Hin had installed this buoy system the entire length of the beach. I kited only once since then, nearly got tangled in the line of buoys and have not been out since then. I know a couple other liters that have become tangled with the buoy system. There have been numerous conversations among the people kiting that it is only a matter of time until someone dies because of this ill-conceived buoy system idea. Sadly that is now true. How many other people will die before the city removes this deadly hazard ?
This is a tragedy, especially for his loved ones and friends.

Why do they continued to kite there when it seems that it was, as you say “only a matter of time until someone dies”?
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by marcushuahin »

To put buoys in the water is not a good idea to regulate or prevent kitesurfing. One person has died and others already got injured. The buoy system is dangerous in many aspects. Lines and harness can get tangled, people can crash into the buoys. The concrete block are locate underneath the water and when the tide is low, those can be a death trap as well for anyone. The buoys and the concrete blocks should be removed asap. Prevent kitesurfing is not an option since kitesurfing will obviously continue with our without buoys.
Let safeguards watch the beach and sea (similar to Baywatch) to keep ordering and safety.
Make Thailand a kite-paradise that also goes along together with people on the beach and swimmers.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by redzonerocker »

marcushuahin wrote: Tue Dec 26, 2017 8:20 pm To put buoys in the water is not a good idea to regulate or prevent kitesurfing. One person has died and others already got injured. The buoy system is dangerous in many aspects. Lines and harness can get tangled, people can crash into the buoys. The concrete block are locate underneath the water and when the tide is low, those can be a death trap as well for anyone. The buoys and the concrete blocks should be removed asap. Prevent kitesurfing is not an option since kitesurfing will obviously continue with our without buoys.
Let safeguards watch the beach and sea (similar to Baywatch) to keep ordering and safety.
Make Thailand a kite-paradise that also goes along together with people on the beach and swimmers.
Great first post to the forum. :roll:
It's that kind of arrogance that cause so much friction between kite surfers and other beach users.
It doesn't help that you contradict yourself.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by Khundon1975 »

marcushuahin with respect, kite surfing and swimmers just don’t mix.
They should be separated by at least a mile so both can enjoy their activities in safety.
As for lifeguards on the beach, this is Thailand and most safety rules don’t seem to apply.
No different to separating jet skies and swimmers for safety.

Many, not all, kite surfers, are arrogant in the extreme and don’t accept that the bouys are there to separate them from swimmers!
If they get tangled in the rope, it’s because they chose to ignore the boundary line.

Thailand’s beaches are mainly used by swimmers and if people want to kite surf then they should go somewhere that’s safe for everyone.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by JWWhite »

They should carry-on because as they have stated they know full well, there will be injuries and even fatalities, then maybe sense will prevail, and they will relocate.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by europtimiste »

One or two more accidents ans those kite surfers will understand that they have no place among swimmers.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by PET »

Marcus
The danger is obvious - go elsewhere please.
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Re: Pros & Cons of Kite Surfing

Post by Takiap »

In my opinion, responsibility now rests with the authorities to separate swimmers and kiters, and the only way to do that would be to ban kite surfing other than in designated areas, or perhaps designate one particular stretch of beach a kite surfing only beach.


I wonder if Kite Beach in Dubai has many casualties given that it is an immensely popular kite surfing beach. My guess guess is that it is probably a very safe beach for all to enjoy.


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