Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A 74-year-old man fell to his death from a sugar palm tree in Prachantakham district, Prachinburi province, in an incident that echoes two previous fatalities within the same family over the past three decades.

 

Police were called to the scene in Khok Tan grove, Village No. 12, Pho Ngam subdistrict, after the man’s body was discovered beneath a tall palm tree, estimated to be over 15 metres high. Forensic medics from Prachantakham Hospital, along with rescue volunteers, confirmed that the man had died from a broken neck. He had reportedly been dead for more than four hours by the time authorities arrived.

 

The victim, a local resident, was found lying on his back with blood coming from his mouth and nose. There were no signs of foul play or physical struggle. Devastated family members and neighbours gathered at the site in mourning.

 

According to his 72-year-old wife, her husband had earlier driven her to Prachantakham market to sell sugar palm juice and mangoes. After finishing her errands, she tried to contact him for a lift home but received no response. Concerned, she called their son to pick her up instead.

 

Upon arriving home, she noticed that all the vehicles were parked, but the man was nowhere to be found. Seeing that the palm-cutting knife was missing and ropes were still hanging from the palm trees, she feared the worst. Her suspicions were confirmed when she found his body beneath one of the trees, with a broken palm frond nearby, suggesting he may have slipped while reaching for a frond.

 

“In our family, this has happened before,” she said. “His father died in a similar incident 30 years ago, and two years ago, his cousin, Phuyaikao, also fell to his death from a palm tree.”

 

The family has long been involved in traditional sugar palm harvesting, producing fresh sugar juice and palm sugar as their primary livelihood. Their work has supported the education of their three children through to university and vocational qualifications.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-05-25.

 

 

 

Heck at his age it was difficult to climb the stairs !