Man Drowns in Agricultural Pond During First Heatwave of the Year

Picture from responders.

A 32-year-old man drowned in a farm pond while attempting to cool off from the intense heat on March 2. The incident occurred in the agricultural area of Ban Pa Rai Daeng, Mae Ramad district, Tak province.

The local police station received a report of the drowning at around 08:25 and immediately contacted the Pitak Kanchan Rescue Foundation for assistance. Emergency responders, including a dive team, rushed to the scene, where they found the victim’s wife praying for the swift recovery of her husband’s body.

The farm pond, used for agricultural purposes, was located deep within a cornfield, several hundred meters from the main road. The pond measures 6 meters wide, 10 meters long, and is about 3 meters deep. A sloped pathway leads to the water, which is used for irrigation during the dry season.

According to reports, the deceased, identified as a 32-year-old man of Karen descent named Mr. Plei La, had been drinking alcohol in the morning. With the rising temperatures of the first heatwave of the year, he decided to jump into the pond to cool off, but his wife later realised that he had disappeared underwater.

After a 20-minute search by the rescue team’s divers, the victim’s body was found submerged. The body was carefully retrieved and brought to shore by the rescue team.

Authorities later confirmed that the cause of death was drowning. The man’s body was sent to Mae Ramad Hospital for a formal examination.

-- 2025-03-04