No life jackets: Four young Thai men drown after canoe overturns at Kaeng Krachan

[webfact]

No life jackets: Four young Thai men drown after canoe overturns at Kaeng Krachan

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Tragedy struck a group of four young Thai men after their canoe overturned on a trip to the Kaeng Krachan area of Phetchaburi. 

 

Police were called on 191 just around 4pm after the men went missing. By 6pm they had all been found dead. 

 

They were named as Bunnarit, 20, and Preecha, Thanaphan and Suphakorn all aged 21. 

 

Witnesses said the young men had set up camp in the Nam Sap area to celebrate the New Year period. 

 

They had gone out without life jackets and their canoe had capsized. 

 

An investigation is underway. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-12-31

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[trainman34014]

RIP... but...tragedy didn't strike...stupidity did !

[impulse]

10 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

RIP... but...tragedy didn't strike...stupidity did !

 

I wish that was the stupidest thing I ever did at that age.  I was just lucky 100 times that tragedy didn't strike.

[neeray]

Evidently, they did not realize how "topsey turvey" a canoe is. Four men in a canoe in itself is asking for trouble. Perhaps it was much larger than the typical 16' canoes that I am familiar with.

 

Condolences to family and friends of the 4 wasted lives.

[losername]

The canoe itself should have buoyancy.  Even if they do not have life jackets there should be something for the kids to cling to.

[saminoz]

22 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

RIP... but...tragedy didn't strike...stupidity did !

Absolutley.

Darwin hard at work this holiday period.

[Geoffggi]

I find it strange that all four died, odds are at least one would be a strong swimmer if not, why go in a canoe without any buoyancy aides none swimmers are usually afraid of water and would want some form of safety protection one would think.......

[jackdd]

6 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

I find it strange that all four died, odds are at least one would be a strong swimmer if not, why go in a canoe without any buoyancy aides none swimmers are usually afraid of water and would want some form of safety protection one would think.......

Because they are Thai, in general they don't think something like "what would happen if the canoe overturns", or "what would happen if i have an accident while riding the motorbike".

[tompelli]

6 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Because they are Thai, in general they don't think something like "what would happen if the canoe overturns", or "what would happen if i have an accident while riding the motorbike".

They do think about it, then go buy the appropriate amulet, job's a good un.

[gomangosteen]

The 'canoe' is a sit-on-top, photos from a second Sanook article shows the three on it, plus when it was recovered

 

Article states it sank, looking at the second photo there appears to be repairs on the side, note these sit-on-tops are molded plastic not fibreglass, repairing other than with proper plastic welding, ie using car repair 'bog' are doomed to fail (my guess, see the white repaired area on the orange)

 

And there should be watertight covers on those two open hatches. Death trap on the water.

 

My exp, one this size would have a maximum carrying capacity of up to 140-160kg (appears to be a 'double' or even a children's triple, I'm unfamiliar with what model it is), so in that respect would have stayed afloat ok with the three smallish males aboard, though as pic shows, low in the waterline, and definitely would not sink (article states it sank) unless it was holed

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2020 by gomangosteen

[Elkski]

I guess at least 2 couldn't swim.   What  mind would go on water if they cant swim? Drinking probably  involved.   Rip

[gomangosteen]

8 minutes ago, Elkski said:

I guess at least 2 couldn't swim.   What  mind would go on water if they cant swim? Drinking probably  involved.   Rip

Answer here:

 

A survivor, identified as Narongrith Meekhun, 21, told police that he and three other friends were drinking and took a kayak onto the lake. He also said none of them were wearing life vests and had been drinking heavily.

[atyclb]

55 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Because they are Thai, in general they don't think something like "what would happen if the canoe overturns", or "what would happen if i have an accident while riding the motorbike".

 

situational awareness, critical thinking. safety is NOT a widespread cultural concept.

 

many very good swimmers would wear a life vest. wet clothes get heavy and why fight to stay afloat and swim?

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, neeray said:

Evidently, they did not realize how "topsey turvey" a canoe is. Four men in a canoe in itself is asking for trouble. Perhaps it was much larger than the typical 16' canoes that I am familiar with.

Irrelevant of what design the canoe was, the water remains the same.... you've got two chances sink or swim, if you can't do the latter wear a life jacket.

[losername]

#gomangosteen - thanks for your post, very informative.  My previous post referred to buoyancy in the craft.  In my view that should include the ability to float even if holed.  Very easy to achieve with something like this.  Polystyrene inserted during the production process will achieve this.  Very tragic, reminds me of the awful Lyme Bay canoeing tragedy in the UK which involved other failings as well.    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_Bay_canoeing_tragedy

[dorayme]

On 11/6/2019 at 3:12 PM, Dnyy said:

What's bib?

Boys in Brown. The police.

[Con Peoples Fund]

Cant swim or not strong swimmer but went out without lifevests? Such a tragedy that could have been avoided.

[RichardColeman]

Amount of water in Thai rivers these days they probably would not have drowned if they had stood up

[mickey rat]

T.I.T.

[tabarin]

Not being able to swim and then going into a unbalanced canoe with 4 pax... I guess I said enough, RIP.

[impulse]

What disturbs me is the total lack of respect shown here for the lives of local people. 

 

I dare anyone to get on the thread about the Brit that died in the fireworks tragedy and make jokes, call out Darwinism or mention stupidity.

 

These deaths are just as tragic.  Families are just as devastated.

 

Edited January 1, 2020 by impulse

[sanemax]

6 minutes ago, impulse said:

What disturbs me is the total lack of respect shown here for the lives of local people. 

 

I dare anyone to get on the thread about the Brit that died in the fireworks tragedy and make jokes, call out Darwinism or mention stupidity.

 

These deaths are just as tragic.  Families are just as devastated.

 

I understand what you are saying, but to be fair, there has been numerous comments in the Brit firework thread about his stupidity

[impulse]

13 minutes ago, sanemax said:

I understand what you are saying, but to be fair, there has been numerous comments in the Brit firework thread about his stupidity

 

I appreciate your update.  I hadn't followed that thread for a couple of hours.

 

Sadly, that doesn't improve my impression of the state of mankind, or more specifically, the kind that often ends up in Thailand.

 

[sanemax]

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

I appreciate your update.  I hadn't followed that thread for a couple of hours.

 

Sadly, that doesn't improve my impression of the state of mankind, or more specifically, the kind that often ends up in Thailand.

 

I do agree though and was thinking the same myself, had the firework guy been a Thai guy  , some  peoples responses would have been far less sympathetic