Photo courtesy of Thai Newsroom

 

A German national in Chonburi, Thailand, accidentally fell into a 20-meter-deep well while mowing his lawn. The incident occurred on October 9, when Mr. Roland Lorenz, 63, slipped into the well in Sattahip district. He floated for 40 minutes before being rescued by local authorities, alerted by a neighbor.

 

Earlier that morning, Lorenz was spotted by his neighbor Ms. Phaichit Khiaokasem walking with a lawnmower. When she heard his cries for help, she immediately contacted rescue services. The Sawang Rojanatham Foundation rescue unit, led by Mr. Phichit Kiakkuthan, collaborated with the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation office to pull Lorenz from the well.

 

Upon arriving, rescuers found Lorenz floating and calling for assistance. Fortunately, he emerged unharmed after a 15-minute rescue effort, greeted by applause from his son. Lorenz explained that the overgrown grass concealed the well cover, leading to his accidental fall.

 

Expressing gratitude, Lorenz acknowledged his fortunate escape, saying, "If my neighbour hadn’t heard my screams, I might have died today." The swift response from his neighbor and the rescue team was crucial to his survival.

 

Authorities continue to emphasize the importance of maintaining property safety standards. This incident highlights the need for regular checks of hidden hazards, especially those covered by vegetation. With safety measures in place, such accidents could be minimized, ensuring the well-being of residents.

 

Key Takeaways

• A German man was rescued from a 20-meter-deep well in Chonburi.
• Quick action by a neighbor and local rescuers ensured his safe recovery.
• The event underscores the importance of property safety checks.

 

Related Stories

Woman Seriously Injured After Fall from Pattaya Condo

Bangkok BTS Incident: Police Investigate Woman's Fall

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai Newsroom 2025-10-09

 

 

Wonderful quick thinking to save ........a picture, not toss a flotation aid of some kind !

 

33 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Authorities continue to emphasize the importance of maintaining property safety standards

ROFLOL - TiT - Safety comes last here - certainly well after profit and merit and face and so many other things.  Thais learn the lesson early or die - do not go somewhere when you cannot see what is in there - do not touch anything that you dont know about - etc etc etc. 

 

 

20 metres is quite a fall. Perhaps some exaggerating involved.

Of course the well could be 20 metres deep but the distance to water only 3.

We'll never know.

 

RIP lawnmower.

Pictures and video from emergency responders.

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

 

Nice tripod. 

 

I hope the mower survived, looks like Mr Roland has some unfinished work ahead of him. 

 

Surely he was drunk to fall in there, I reckon someone was celebrating Octoberfest a little early. 🍺

 

How do you fall in a well whilst mower? The mower is in front lol

This is the well he fell into, being uncovered to find him, before the rescue.

 

Multiple off topic, flame and bickering posts removed. Discuss the topic and not just make personal attacks on other posters.

In every craft—design, mowing, or living—there comes a curve no ruler can predict.
Follow your cutter too closely, and the world reminds you:
Control ends where the Bézier begins.

"Fortunately, he emerged unharmed after a 15-minute rescue effort, greeted by applause from his son."

 

What was the wife's response??????

It freaks me out how often I see these deep wells wide enough for a human to fall in without lids.

It surprises me I haven’t seen other incidents like this 

13 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

This is the well he fell into, being uncovered to find him, before the rescue.

 

 

 

 

The safety culture of Thailand strikes again. 

3 hours ago, jacnl2000 said:

In every craft—design, mowing, or living—there comes a curve no ruler can predict.
Follow your cutter too closely, and the world reminds you:
Control ends where the Bézier begins.

What's a Bezier?

Do they have them at ThaiWatsadu?

Expensive?

25 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

It freaks me out how often I see these deep wells wide enough for a human to fall in without lids.

It surprises me I haven’t seen other incidents like this 

Must admit I've never seen one this deep.

 Must live a sheltered life.

 

2 hours ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

"Fortunately, he emerged unharmed after a 15-minute rescue effort, greeted by applause from his son."

 

What was the wife's response??????

Extreme Disappointment ....🤣

8 minutes ago, a3tsw said:

Extreme Disappointment ....🤣

 

Apparently the brother is devastated.

13 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

This is the well he fell into, being uncovered to find him, before the rescue.

 

 

Well I never...

26 minutes ago, a3tsw said:

Extreme Disappointment ....🤣

There goes the inheritance.

Forest Gump never had to put up with this sort of <deleted>e.

 

Actually, I recall an old friend renovating an 18th century property in NZ back in the 80's and had a Hiab crane truck unloading roof trusses in the back yard. The Hiab ended up in a decommissioned well. Two crane trucks were commissioned to lift the first truck out, and one of them managed to find a second well.  It was a bit like swallow the spider to catch the fly. 

 

Anyway, the crane company's insurance assessor was fit to bust and his hair went grey overnight. 

52 minutes ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

 

Apparently the brother is devastated.

and fully regreting throwing the lid away ...

Bet the tight-fisted German will still keep mowing it himself instead of paying a poor to do it.

9 hours ago, 0ffshore360 said:

Wonderful quick thinkwhaing to save ........a picture, not toss a flotation aid of some kind !

What sort of floatation device do you think would have been available in a place where there may have been no suggestion that one would ever be needed whilst mowing a lawn?  Do you keep floatation devices on hand in your garden/house/condo/room?

26 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What sort of floatation device do you think would have been available in a place where there may have been no suggestion that one would ever be needed whilst mowing a lawn?  Do you keep floatation devices on hand in your garden/house/condo/room?

Blow up sex doll?

Why is there a vague nursery rhyme in my mind about a well, jump in and shiver, come out like a piece of liver?

 

The guy didn't know about a well in his own lawn?

3 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What sort of floatation device do you think would have been available in a place where there may have been no suggestion that one would ever be needed whilst mowing a lawn?  Do you keep floatation devices on hand in your garden/house/condo/room?

I would have a quick look around for an inflated ego maybe?

12 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Surely he was drunk to fall in there,

 

Or he used a gps app?

3 minutes ago, watchcat said:

12 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Surely he was drunk to fall in there,

 

Or he used a gps app

I reckon you nailed it, your comment in the PCX theft article. 

 

Which brings us back to the fact that those Ai powered lawn mowing robots can be a good (and safe) investment. 

13 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Nice tripod. 

 

I hope the mower survived, looks like Mr Roland has some unfinished work ahead of him. 

 

Surely he was drunk to fall in there, I reckon someone was celebrating Octoberfest a little early. 🍺

 

The Oktoberfest begins in September and ends the first week in October. All done now for this year.

If it was his own land/lawn, did he not know that the well was there?