Picture from responders.

 

New Year’s Eve celebrations turned tragic when two children, aged 8 and 9, drowned at Laem Son Beach in Bang Saphan Noi district, Prachuap Khiri Khan.The incident occurred at approximately 17:00 as the family, who had come to enjoy a holiday outing, witnessed the children being swept away by powerful waves.

 

Police Lieutenant Pawarit Siriwat, Deputy Inspector of Bang Saphan Noi Police Station, confirmed the incident. Rescue teams from Bang Saphan Noi Hospital and the Pak Phraek Subdistrict Administrative Organisation were dispatched to the scene.

 

Upon arrival, rescuers found tourists attempting to revive the two children. Emergency responders took over, performing CPR before transporting the children to a nearby hospital. Tragically, both children succumbed to their injuries due to the severity of their condition.

 

Preliminary investigations revealed that the children were part of a Myanmar family group of 13 people who had come to the beach for a New Year’s outing. Six children, aged between 5 and 11, had been playing in the shallow water under the supervision of their relatives onshore. Strong waves struck suddenly, pulling the two children, who were in water approximately one metre deep, out to sea.

 

Ms. Susan, 40, an aunt of the children, described the devastating scene, saying she and other family members screamed for help and searched desperately for the children, before pulling them from the water. Despite their efforts and assistance from bystanders, the children could not be saved.

 

Authorities are conducting further investigations into the incident. Police will finalise legal procedures before releasing the bodies to the family.

 

-- 2025-01-01

 

 

What a tragedy.. Not so hard to believe though. I was there yesterday not far from this beach with my own family and kids. The waves were up to a meter high. I had to constantly watch my kids even playing near the shore. I banned them from going in past their knees with strict warnings not to go out into deeper water. 

It should have been easy for the parents to see as I did that there were strong waves and an even stronger undertow.