Pool safety with kids

[laowaigringa]

Hi - my husband and I are moving to Thailand this summer and will be looking for a house. We know the option exists for a house with a pool, and we love the idea of having a pool in the yard. However, we also have small children and so I'm a bit worried about their safety. Does anyone know if it is usually easy/doable to put a fence around the pool or a cover over it? Would most landlords be agreeable to that? Any thoughts or experiences welcome.

[stednick]

My thought is this:

Safety is of upmost importance. You have small children, it is your job to protect them. Do NOT fail at that job.

Before you rent any property you must inspect not only the property but also the surrounding area. This inspection must be thorough and detailed. Any unsafe condition is a deal breaker.

As far as renting with an installed pool. You need to require that the proper safety apparatus' be installed prior to the signing of the lease. In my opinion, I would not bother with the potential hassles of requiring either myself or the landlord to retrofit an installed pool with safety equipments. Find a place that is already safe.

Don't bother renting a place unless it already passes your safety inspection. In your house hunting you also need to pay attention to transportation, commuting times, shopping, pollution, dirt, and, don't forget noise. Stay away from entertainment locations, karaoke, open air markets, railroad tracks, motorcycle repair shops, etc.

Also, pay attention to commuting times.

Good luck.

[Song_Si]

I've been involved in water safety training for children in NZ and Thailand through surf lifesaving and swim clubs; there are so many potential water hazards and the fenced/covered pool is just one.
If you're able to access swimming lessons for your children, please do.

Some stats here from SwimSafe for Asia make for grim reading.

Link for SwimSafe Thailand

One child drowns every 45 seconds in Asia, during daylight hours with many swimming unsupervised. Yet this staggering statistic is rarely present in national health surveys. Drowning, like other injury deaths, is hidden because of the very speed at which it kills — there is no time for hospitalisation

Thailand
7 children die from drowning every day
Estimated number of child drowning deaths (per year) 2,645
Percentage of drowned children who were alone or with peers (%) 54%

Asia
Almost 90% of the 1-4 year old age group drowned within 100 metres of their home and 47% drowned within 10 metres of their home.