73-Year-Old Woman Drowns While Collecting Shellfish and Fish in Ratchaburi River

Picture from responders.

A incident occurred in Ratchaburi Province when a 73-year-old woman drowned while gathering shellfish and fish in the Mae Klong River.

At 14:00 on December 10, Pol. Lt. Uthen Amnuay, an investigator at the Photharam Police Station, received a report of a body found floating in the Mae Klong River near the Sroi Fa Bridge in Klong Takot Subdistrict. He notified Pol. Col. Chatchanan Narawutporn, the Photharam Police Chief, before proceeding to the scene with investigators, patrol units, medical examiners from Photharam Hospital, and Sawang Ratchaburi rescue personnel.

At the site, rescue workers retrieved the body of an elderly woman lying face down in the river. She was wearing a pink shirt and black shorts, with a fishing net containing one fish and two shellfish around her neck. Initial medical examination found no external injuries, and the woman was estimated to have been dead for 1–2 hours.

Mr. Arthit 28, who discovered the body, said he had stopped his car on the Sroi Fa Bridge after noticing fish swimming near the surface. Upon looking closer, he spotted the body and immediately called the authorities.

The deceased was later identified by her relatives as Mrs. Sanong 73, from Klong Takot Subdistrict. Her husband, Mr. Prathom explained that the couple had gone to the Mae Klong River earlier that day to collect shellfish and fish for their evening meal. While Mrs. Sanong waded into the river, Mr. Prathom stayed on the bank as he was afraid of drowning. He eventually returned home, leaving Mrs. Sanong to continue fishing alone. When she did not return by the afternoon, he and other family members began searching for her, only to learn she had drowned.

According to Mr. Prathom, Mrs. Sanong had a history of epilepsy, which may have contributed to the incident. Investigators suspect she might have fallen into a submerged hole or suffered a fainting spell, causing her to drown. The body has been sent to the Ratchaburi Forensic Institute for a detailed autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

-- 2024-12-11