Report Factory Worker Missing After Pond Incident Sparks Extensive Search

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Picture courtesy of KhaoSod

 

A factory worker vanished while hunting birds on his day off, diving into a pond to retrieve a bird he had shot. Despite extensive efforts, rescue teams have yet to locate his body, leaving the search to continue.

 

The incident occurred on June 29 around 4:30 pm, when Police Lieutenant Suthep Sukhpanich of Chimphli Police Station received a report of a drowning in Mueang 16, Don Chimphli subdistrict, Chachoengsao province.

 

The Chachoengsao rescue unit promptly dispatched three divers with equipment to the scene. The pond, a former soil excavation site, spans approximately two rai and reaches depths of several dozen metres in the centre, with shallower edges around 3 metres deep. The area is densely overgrown with lotus plants and cattails.

 

The missing worker, identified as 35-year-old Surapong, was last seen by his wife and relatives. His wife was overcome with grief upon discovering his clothes on the pond's bank.

 

Divers placed buoys along the pond’s perimeter to focus their search within the 3-metre depth. However, thick lotus roots and cattails hindered their progress. As nightfall and a storm loomed, the rescue team had to halt their search around 9 pm due to falling temperatures that posed a risk to divers. Plans were made to resume the search on June 30.

 

Surapong’s friend, Nanphet, recounted that they both worked at the same factory and shared a habit of hunting small animals for food during their free time. On the day of the incident, Surapong was hunting birds around the pond. After shooting a bird, he likely entered the water to retrieve it.

 

Nanphet speculated that Surapong might have encountered difficulties such as cramps or entanglement in the vegetation, leading to his disappearance. Returning to the site later, Nanphet found only Surapong's clothes, hat, and boots, solidifying his suspicion of a drowning.

 

The community remains hopeful as the search continues, with family and friends offering prayers for Surapong’s safe recovery, amidst efforts to navigate the challenging pond conditions.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-06-30