Three children drown in Ubon Ratchathani river

By The Nation

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Three children drowned in the Chi River in Ubon Ratchathani’s Kuang Nai district on Sunday evening when they tried to save a drowning friend, police said.

 

The Kuang Nai police station was alerted of the tragic accident at Wang Wern Beach about 300 metres from Ban Thai Hai villlage in Tambon Tha Hai at 5.17pm.

 

The three victims were identified as Kittipat Chunet, 11, Kwanjira Sri-kerdkuen, 8, and Pattaranit Chaiyapornkulnarong, 9.

 

Rescuers found the bodies at the bottom of the river shortly after the police station was informed of the incident.

 

Another girl, Kemjira Srikerdkuen, 6, was rescued by her stepfather, Samrit Klinkhem.

 

Relatives told police that the four children followed their parents to the river and went to swim while their parents were gathering edible vegetables from the river.

 

One of the kids started to struggle and her friends rushed to help her but were pulled down into the water before the child’s stepfather, who was also collecting vegetables, could rush to their rescue.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30361735

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-01-07

Absolute tragedy, but realistically, one of the adults should have been supervising the kids swimming in the dangerous surroundings.

R.I.P. little ones.

13 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

Absolute tragedy, but realistically, one of the adults should have been supervising the kids swimming in the dangerous surroundings.

R.I.P. little ones.

Its sad but true what you are saying so many accidents in Thailand are avoidable. Though when I was younger i could already swim and we went out alone too at 9-11 and fish and stuff like that. Every year when there was ice someone would die too. Parents can be everywhere but they can prepare you. 

Rip little people. 

I'm at a loss for words almost daily.   Perverse negligence is ingrained here.

26 minutes ago, CanuckThai said:

Rip little people. 

I'm at a loss for words almost daily.   Perverse negligence is ingrained here.

Yes-in every way shape and form.

 

I once warned a Thai mother about letting a 3 year old child run about  with a large glass tumbler in her hand..

 

All the Thai thought that I was being intrusive but sure enough..trip,smash,crash and glass everywhere...the child was very lucky not to lose her eye.

 

 

6 hours ago, CanuckThai said:

Rip little people. 

I'm at a loss for words almost daily.   Perverse negligence is ingrained here.

Some as you may call it negligence... it comes down to lack of education !!

10 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Some as you may call it negligence... it comes down to lack of education !!

No argument there.  My bewilderment stems from knowing the same (or similar) tragedy will occur tomorrow, and those involved may be university educated....  Que será, será

According to the WHO and the Thai Ministry of Health, drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1 to 15 years old in Thailand.  Most children (about 75% or more) do not know how to swim and they also do not know what to do when they see a friend or relative in trouble in the water.  The Chiang Mai International Rotary Club with the support of the U.K.-based Safe Child Thailand Foundation and the Australian Government's Direct Aid Program has developed a 15-hour Children's Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Program based on the Commonwealth Royal Life saving Society program used in Australia.  We have developed a network of Thai Rotary Clubs and other NGO's to establish programs in Chiang Mai (over 1,000 4th-graders taught thus far in 3 years at every municipal school in Muang Chiang Mai), Lampang, Patong Beach and coming soon in Petchabun, Sakon Nakhon, and the Banya Literacy Centre in Phuket.  The Thai Ministry of Public Health Non-Communicable Disease Division is also expanding their Merit Maker Drown No More Program in many regions of Thailand.  We are trying to build programs that will reduce the numbers of these tragic deaths (between 1,000 and 1,500 children drown each year in Thailand).  Please message me, if you'd like to learn more or if you would like to help.  

No it is ignorance which runs inversely proportional to education...the end result is neliglance..