Late on the night of September 18, what should have been a brief and joyful arrival in Phuket turned into a family nightmare on Patong Beach. Fifty-three-year-old Laurent Simon, who had flown in just a day earlier with his brother, sister and brother-in-law for a seaside visit, drowned after being swept out by powerful monsoon currents during a late-night swim — despite red warning flags lining the shore.
According to Patong Police, the group entered the water at about 2:30 a.m. behind the Tourist Police office, north of Bangla Road. Lifeguards and police later confirmed that red flags were posted along the beach at the time, a clear signal that conditions were hazardous. But in the hush of the night, when the ocean’s roar can feel both inviting and deceitful, the family waded into surf that had already been judged unsafe.
When the fierce currents took hold, Laurent’s sister, Francoise, was quickly overwhelmed and began struggling to stay afloat. In an instinctive act of heroism, Laurent and his brother-in-law, Jose Cubellier (also 53), plunged in to help. They managed to push Francoise back toward shore, but the same rip tide that had seized her dragged the two men farther out.
Rescue teams — lifeguards and police — raced to the scene and pulled all three back to shore before rushing them to Patong Hospital. Francoise survived. Cubellier was admitted in critical condition and remains under intensive care. Laurent, however, was pronounced dead on arrival. Authorities say the incident has been formally recorded and that his relatives are arranging documentation for a death certificate.
The tragedy is a stark reminder of how quickly monsoon-season seas can turn treacherous. Local officials stressed that the red flags were raised because of strong currents that can shift rapidly and overpower even confident swimmers. Lifeguards patrol Patong Beach daily and display safety signage prominently, but those measures work only when visitors heed the warnings.
Not the First, and Far from the Last
Sadly, this is not an isolated event. The Phuket area has seen a number of similar incidents in recent weeks. On September 10, lifeguards at Karon Beach had already raised red flags to warn of hazardous conditions, but a foreign visitor nonetheless entered the surf and was dragged out by strong monsoon waves — a close call that ended better than Laurent’s story.
Local authorities and lifeguards are outspoken about the importance of respecting red flags and official guidance. “These flags aren’t decorative,” one patrol officer told reporters. “They’re there to save lives. The currents we see during monsoon season can change within minutes.”
What Visitors Should Know
If there’s a silver lining here, it’s the clarity of the lessons: heed warnings, swim in daylight, and always keep an eye on the shore. For travelers planning beach time in Phuket (or anywhere with monsoon weather), a few practical tips can make a life-or-death difference:
- Respect red flags: Red means dangerous — do not enter the water.
- Swim where lifeguards are present: Choose beaches with active patrols and swim between flagged areas where lifeguards can see you.
- Avoid late-night swims: Darkness hides hazards and makes rescues far more difficult.
- Know the signs of rip currents: Look for a channel of churning, choppy water or a difference in water color; if you get caught, swim parallel to the shore to escape the current.
- Keep emergency numbers handy: Lifeguard stations are often the quickest route to help, but know your local emergency contacts as well.
Patong lifeguards and police officials urged both tourists and residents to take beach safety seriously. As tempting as a moonlit plunge might be, the ocean doesn’t negotiate — it simply takes its toll.
Remembering Laurent
Laurent Simon’s death is a tragic ending to what should have been days of vacation and family time. As his relatives arrange formalities and process their grief, local authorities have reiterated the need for vigilance at the water’s edge. The beach will remain a splendid place for many — but only when respect for the sea and its warnings comes first.
If you’re visiting Phuket this season, enjoy the sand and sun, but let this sad episode be your reminder: when red flags fly, stay back. It could be the single decision that keeps your holiday from turning into someone else’s heartbreak.
Unbelievable and preventable. Red flags are not decorations, they are literal warnings that people chose to ignore. This family paid the price for a reckless midnight swim.
Late night, drinks, and the lure of the ocean is a terrible mix. Tourists think rules do not apply when they are on holiday.
Easy to blame tourists but nightlife culture is a big factor; Phuket is known for partying right by the beach. If authorities allowed bars to push to the sand, this is an inevitable result.
I get the nightlife angle but the person still made the choice to go in. Enforcement and education both matter, but ultimately people must take responsibility for life-or-death situations.
I feel for the family but also question whether the warnings were obvious enough for foreigners. Signs should be multilingual and lifeguards should push people off the sand when red flags are up.
Multilingual signs help, but they won’t stop someone determined to swim. Personal responsibility has to be the baseline.
Rip currents are deceptively strong and can drag even experienced swimmers within seconds. Public health campaigns about rip behavior, plus visible flagging, dramatically reduce incidents in many places.
As a seasonal lifeguard I can confirm patrols warn constantly but you can’t be everywhere at 2:30 a.m. The ocean is unforgiving and monsoon currents are especially unpredictable. We need better funding and community buy-in to truly prevent these tragedies.
If lifeguards can’t patrol 24/7 then there should be strict bans on night swimming during monsoon season. Period.
Bans are easy to post but hard to enforce without police presence and locals willing to intervene. We patrol more by daylight because that’s when visitors are active and rescues are feasible.
What about using flashing beacons or temporary barriers at night to physically deter swimmers in red-flag zones? Visual cues work better than signs when people are drunk or distracted.
Local authorities often raise flags but tourists ignore them; there is also economic pressure to keep beaches accessible to nightlife. This is a systemic problem, not only a personal one.
People always want thrill and photo-ops, sadly.
Tragic story and a reminder to check local advisories before swimming. But blaming only the victims ignores how tourism boards market beaches as safe playgrounds year-round. Transparency about seasonal hazards should be front-and-center.
Tourism ads rarely show red flags. They sell postcard-perfect images that mislead travelers about real risks.
As someone whose family travels a lot, I still think adults must do basic due diligence. You don’t swim into a storm at night and expect to be rescued.
Agree Jose, but I also think a proactive alert system like SMS warnings for hotels during monsoon peaks would help. Tourists often sleep through banner signs on arrival.
From an epidemiological standpoint this cluster of incidents suggests a seasonal spike tied to monsoon dynamics. Education on how to escape a rip current (swim parallel) should be part of tourist briefings and airline safety cards for the region.
Airline safety cards for beach hazards is an interesting idea, but airlines already overload passengers with info. Still, one well-designed slide could save lives.
True, messaging needs to be concise and memorable. A single vivid instruction repeated across hotels, rental apps, and arrival emails could increase recall.
Education is good but it often fails without enforcement and cultural adaptation. People value different authorities; your message must come from whoever tourists listen to—hotels, influencers, or local guides.
My immediate reaction is anger at the idea of swimming at 2:30 a.m. with red flags up. Who thinks that is a good idea?
You’d be surprised. Peer pressure, booze, and bravado lead to dumb choices. People who feel invincible on holiday are the worst risk group.
Exactly, and then other family members get hurt trying to rescue them. Tragic domino effect.
I sympathize but also caution against shaming victims. Accidents happen and grief is compounded by public condemnation. Better to focus on prevention than moralizing.
This is heartbreaking. I hope hotels start giving clearer warnings to guests and maybe even include a beach safety briefing in check-in for high-risk months. Awareness could be the difference between life and death.
Briefings would help but they must be compelling. People nod at rules and forget them; show a short video with real rip footage and survivors talking and it will stick.
A video is a great idea, especially if played in multiple languages before guests hit the beach. Real stories are powerful motivators.
From a local perspective, lifeguards do a tough job on limited resources. There is frustration when tourists ignore flags and then expect full rescue services for avoidable risks. Still, more visible enforcement during monsoon season could help.
We try to brief our tours but some clients want to sneak off. Maybe tour operators should include a signed waiver or an explicit no-swim policy at night during certain months.
Waivers are legal theater and don’t save lives. Practical deterrents and direct intervention work better than paperwork.
Direct intervention requires local buy-in though; some tourists react badly when told no, which can escalate. Training for staff on de-escalation is necessary.
I’ve seen red flags waved off as macho challenges. Social media endorsements of risky behavior normalize it and that is a big part of the problem. People crave likes more than they crave safety.
Social media glamorizes danger for views. Influencers should be partial to safety endorsements but too often they chase engagement instead.
Exactly, regulation of influencer content around dangerous locales might be a new frontier for safety policy.
Regulating influencers is messy but promoting responsible tourism badges might nudge behavior without heavy-handed censorship.
I lost a cousin to a rip in another country once and it still haunts me. Rather than blame, let’s push for tech solutions like geofenced alerts to phones when you cross into a dangerous beach zone. Modern tech could be very effective.
Geofencing could work but requires coordination with telecoms and local authorities. Data privacy concerns will arise, yet the potential to save lives is compelling.
Privacy should be handled, but in life-threatening conditions the public good argument is strong. I would opt-in if it meant early warnings.
I live for beaches but this makes me wary of late swims. You never know the undercurrent strength until it grabs you. I hope tourists start respecting local advice more.
Night swims are romantic but extremely perilous during monsoon. Please, swim in daylight and between lifeguard flags.
I find the binary of ‘tourist fault’ versus ‘authority failure’ unhelpful. It’s a complex socio-economic system where tourism income, nightlife culture, safety infrastructure, and individual choice intersect. Solutions need to be multidisciplinary and culturally sensitive.
Agreed Max, complex problems need multi-angle responses. Enforcement, education, and economic incentives aligned toward safety are all part of the cure.
Countless warnings until someone dies — then outrage follows, then forgetfulness. We need constant reminders not just for tourists but for locals and businesses who profit from late-night seaside activities.
Maybe a fine for entering water at night when red flags are flying would deter the worst offenders. Money gets attention where words sometimes don’t.