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Comment by sannee | Hacker News Reader

> probably don't even know how to swim

I find it surprising that clearly sport-oriented children from a fairly popular tourist beach destination don't know how to swim.

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In many Asian cultures, swimming is discouraged, parents think it will increase chance of their kids drowning.

Drowning is the leading cause of death of young people in Thailand.

At a pool under a waterfall in Thailand last year I saw a bunch of young people trying to swim. No one wanted to be the first in. Some were plainly terrified. Water was waist deep only! Quite a sight.

In general swimming is not particularly popular in Thailand. Dark skin complexion is seen as something for the poor or uncultured (foreigners generally excluded), and that tends to go along with swimming. This is why you can find more than a few local hotels that will have pools built under natural shade. That way you can swim without being in the sun, even though it's something the vast majority of their target clientele would not want! It's also why you might see a Thai fully dressed while swimming at the beach or a pool. It's not about modesty - it's about avoiding the tan!

If you are poor living away from the beach, it's perfectly natural that you spend your entire childhood without even seeing the beach let alone learning how to swim. Thailand is not an island.

I live in a landlocked country and nearly everyone I know can swim. People usually swim in public pools, lakes or ponds. Swimming is also very often part of the PE middle school curriculum here.

Good of your country. Many cities in SE Asia have none of three. If you are in upper middle class, you can afford private swimming pool membership. Less then .1% schools have swimming pool. Rivers are polluted enough and have no infrastructure in place for swimmers.

You live in rich landlocked country (compared to Thailand).

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