Australia–Thailand Institute and Partners Launch ‘SwimSafe’ Project

The SwimSafe project teaches children the survival swimming skills that protect them from drowning, which is the leading cause of death for children in Thailand.

SwimSafe Thailand is an initiative of The Alliance for Safe Children and the College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University as well as technical partners, the Royal Life Saving Society Australia (RLSSA) and the Thai Life Saving Society

The project is funded by the Australia-Thailand Institute, proceeds from the annual Bangkok Patana School TigerSharks swim–a–thon and RLSSA.

Across the two locations, 54 students are currently enrolled in SwimSafe Thailand. The first graduates are expected to complete the course soon and be able to swim continuously for 25 meters and float for 90 seconds, basic swimming skills that help keep children safe in the water. For those over eight years, they also learn rescue skills, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) so they can save their peers if the need arises.


Grade 4 students were eager to take part in the ‘Swimsafe’ demonstration and learn survival swimming skills.

The highlight of the launch saw twelve Grade four students jump into the officially opened innovative portable swimming pool to demonstrate the survival swimming skills they have learned so far in their first six lessons. Guests also watched Grade ten students perform CPR at the launch.

The project has sparked much curiosity in the local community. The Mayor of the Dansamrong District, Mr Kwanchai Phumpo, who officially opened the pool said, “This project is very useful for our community. It is an activity that develops skills in swimming and can save the lives of children and youth who are the key to our country’s future. I am very pleased the community is part of the project.”

Mike Courtnall, Chairman of the Australia–Thailand Institute, expressed the organization’s pride in supporting the program." SwimSafe takes an element deeply ingrained in the Australian culture, swimming and water safety, and attempts to apply that in Thailand in a manner that will give Thai children skills that will help protect them from drowning for life.Swim Safe takes Australias water safety skills developed at its many beaches and applies them in Thai schools to save Thai childrens lives. It is hard to imagine a more worthwhile project.”.