Pictures courtesy of Matichon

 

On the morning of 3 December 2025, authorities in Ratchaburi province discovered a Toyota Fortuner vehicle submerged in an irrigation canal behind Wat Rat Samarnchanat in Nong Krathum subdistrict, Pak Tho district, with nine occupants found dead. The victims included eight men and one woman, all reportedly of Myanmar nationality.

 

The incident was first reported to Pak Tho Police Station around 07:00 by a member of the public. Police and rescue teams quickly arrived at the scene to recover the vehicle, retrieve the bodies and collect evidence while interviewing nearby witnesses to determine the circumstances of the accident.

 

Matichon reported that preliminary investigations suggest that a tyre may have blown out, causing the driver to lose control and the vehicle to plunge into the canal. Officials continue to examine the scene to confirm the exact cause of the crash and are expected to release further updates once the investigation is complete.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Nine people, eight men and one woman, were found dead after a Fortuner fell into an irrigation canal in Pak Tho, Ratchaburi.

• The vehicle, occupied by Myanmar nationals, was discovered early on 3 December 2025.

• Police and rescue teams are investigating the cause, with a tyre blowout suspected.

 

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 Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-12-03

 

 

 

UPDATE
SUV Plunges into Canal in Ratchaburi, Nine Dead

 

Pictures courtesy of Thaitabloid 

 

A Toyota Fortuner plunged into a canal in Ratchaburi province on the morning of 3 December 2025, resulting in the deaths of nine people, authorities reported. The victims, migrant workers, were found tightly packed inside the vehicle. Preliminary reports indicate the left rear tyre of the SUV had burst, causing the driver to lose control.

 

The incident occurred at around 07:00 in Moo 4, Ban Nong Krathum, Nong Krathum Subdistrict, Pak Tho District. Witnesses reported seeing a black pickup truck following the Fortuner closely before it veered off the road and fell into the irrigation canal. Several people reportedly escaped from the vehicle by swimming to safety, while four to six others were picked up by the pickup truck, including a Thai man believed to be the driver.

 

Authorities confirmed that the SUV contained 15 passengers in total, including 14 men and one woman. All deceased victims, eight men and one woman, were identified as migrant workers and were found with blue string tied around their right wrists, possibly as a distinguishing marker. The vehicle showed signs of damage including broken front and rear windows, consistent with the impact of crashing into the water.

 

Local police and rescue teams, including the Pathom Borom Ratchanusorn Foundation, responded promptly, lifting the vehicle from the canal to recover the bodies. Residents near the scene described hearing a loud crash and seeing several people attempting to swim to the bank. Police have begun tracing the pickup truck involved in the escape and are reviewing CCTV footage in the area.

 

Thaitabloid reported that authorities are investigating the circumstances of the crash, including potential overloading of the SUV and the role of the accompanying pickup truck. The vehicle’s registered owner, Mr. Suthep Maikhong from Kanchanaburi, is being questioned to determine whether he was driving at the time. Officials are continuing to examine the scene and interview witnesses to establish a full account of the incident.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Nine people, all migrant workers, died after a Fortuner SUV fell into a canal in Ratchaburi.

• Six people, including the Thai driver, escaped and were picked up by a following pickup truck.

• Authorities are investigating overloading, tyre failure and the other vehicle to clarify the incident.

 

 

 Adapted by Asean Now from Thairath 2025-12-03

 

think the answer is  overloaded,15 passenger in a 5-8 passenger vehicle. Thais packing the migrant workers in the suv to save money !!!! 

Who owns the vehicle as pretty sure it wasn't theirs . No doubt construction workers rammed in like sardines , but even then how the hell do you get that many in the car 😳

Didn't seen to be much of a rescue effort to save the unforunate people trapped inside the vehicle. 

people dying while others had time to scramble into the waiting pickup truck. 

21 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

nine occupants found dead. The victims included eight men and one woman, all reportedly of Myanmar nationality.

Sounds like trafficking.

What a horrifying way to die, trapped in the middle seats as the water engulfs the vehicle. Poor souls, they work for pittance and are abused like this.

This sounds like accidents in Texas with Mexicans that over load pickup trucks or minivans. 😢 RIP 🙏

19 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

think the answer is  overloaded,15 passenger in a 5-8 passenger vehicle. Thais packing the migrant workers in the suv to save money !!!! 

Disgusting practices still going on in Thailand.

Let me try to be clairvoyant: Overloaded with 15 people (The Toyota Fortuner's payload capacity ranges from approximately 585 kg to 625 kg, gross weight 2735 kg) going too fast, DUI? Nothing surprises me in Thailand anymore!🤬

Were they very small Burmese?

I bet the licence plate will be connected to some government official. 

On 12/3/2025 at 11:56 AM, Georgealbert said:

 

Pictures courtesy of Matichon

 

On the morning of 3 December 2025, authorities in Ratchaburi province discovered a Toyota Fortuner vehicle submerged in an irrigation canal behind Wat Rat Samarnchanat in Nong Krathum subdistrict, Pak Tho district, with nine occupants found dead. The victims included eight men and one woman, all reportedly of Myanmar nationality.

 

The incident was first reported to Pak Tho Police Station around 07:00 by a member of the public. Police and rescue teams quickly arrived at the scene to recover the vehicle, retrieve the bodies and collect evidence while interviewing nearby witnesses to determine the circumstances of the accident.

 

Matichon reported that preliminary investigations suggest that a tyre may have blown out, causing the driver to lose control and the vehicle to plunge into the canal. Officials continue to examine the scene to confirm the exact cause of the crash and are expected to release further updates once the investigation is complete.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Nine people, eight men and one woman, were found dead after a Fortuner fell into an irrigation canal in Pak Tho, Ratchaburi.

• The vehicle, occupied by Myanmar nationals, was discovered early on 3 December 2025.

• Police and rescue teams are investigating the cause, with a tyre blowout suspected.

 

Related Stories

 

GPS-error-leads-fireworks-laden-truck-into-Suphan-Buri-canal

 

Four-killed-as-car-plunges-into-canal-in-Phayao

 

 

 Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-12-03

 

 

 

There are only 7 seats in the Fortuner. How to carry 9 ?

4 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

There are only 7 seats in the Fortuner. How to carry 9 ?

There were 15 in the Toyota in total ! 

Such bad Fortune for the Fortuner.

 

It seems to me that the less time on the roads the better.

There must be some correlation between time on the roads and sudden/unexpected catastrophe.

 

This is why I rarely ride in motorized vehicles.

 

There are benefits and also disadvantages to drastically minimizing time in vehicles.

6 hours ago, ronster said:

Who owns the vehicle

From the OP...

"The vehicle’s registered owner ... is being questioned to determine whether he was driving at the time".

5 hours ago, jippytum said:

Didn't seen to be much of a rescue effort to save the unforunate people trapped inside the vehicle. 

How do you know that?   Perhps the witnesses did all they could but, obviously, the traffickers and illegal escapees are not going to be hanging around for authorities to arrive, are they?

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Disgusting practices still going on in Thailand.

Thailand's far from the only place in which those practices go on.

22 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

think the answer is  overloaded,15 passenger in a 5-8 passenger vehicle. Thais packing the migrant workers in the suv to save money !!!! 

Thais?  How about Myanmar traffickers "packing the migrant workers in the suv to save money !!!!"

2 hours ago, ujayujay said:

Let me try to be clairvoyant: Overloaded with 15 people (The Toyota Fortuner's payload capacity ranges from approximately 585 kg to 625 kg, gross weight 2735 kg) going too fast, DUI? Nothing surprises me in Thailand anymore!🤬

"Nothing surprises me in Thailand anymore!🤬"

Nothing surprises me about AN posters in Thailand anymore!

You don't need to be a clairvoyant to read the OP which stated the blown tyre as the suspected cause - no mention of speeding or drunk driving.

53 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

There are only 7 seats in the Fortuner. How to carry 9 ?

It wasn't carrying nine, it was carrying fifteen.

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

This is why I rarely ride in motorized vehicles.

This increases the chance of being flattened by a curb hopping vehicle. Unless of course one doesn’t walk along streets and sidewalks.

55 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Thais?  How about Myanmar traffickers "packing the migrant workers in the suv to save money !!!!"

 

On 12/3/2025 at 2:27 PM, Georgealbert said:

Several people reportedly escaped from the vehicle by swimming to safety, while four to six others were picked up by the pickup truck, including a Thai man believed to be the driver.

Nuff said.. Thai driver

15 minutes ago, novacova said:

Unless of course one doesn’t walk along streets and sidewalks.

 

Only if forced to do so.

 

4 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Thais?  How about Myanmar traffickers "packing the migrant workers in the suv to save money !!!!"

 

On 12/3/2025 at 2:27 PM, Georgealbert said:

Several people reportedly escaped from the vehicle by swimming to safety, while four to six others were picked up by the pickup truck, including a Thai man believed to be the driver.

Nuff said.. Thai driver

Yes, a Thai driving a car packed by Myanmar traffickers with illegals.  'Nuff said.

14 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Yes, a Thai driving a car packed by Myanmar traffickers with illegals.  'Nuff said.

So they drove across the border and got through a legit checkpoint?

Or

Sneaked across at a leaky border crossing aided by traffickers of both nations, then got into an arranged Thai car with a Thai driver.... nuff said?

15 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It wasn't carrying nine, it was carrying fifteen.

 

That's quite feasible. THe World record for people inside an original Mini is 27 FGS !! Fifteen in a Fortuner should be a breeze !!

 

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-people-crammed-in-a-mini-cooper

 

Imagine the desperation of these Folks - it's really sad. 

On 12/4/2025 at 8:22 AM, ronster said:

Who owns the vehicle as pretty sure it wasn't theirs . No doubt construction workers rammed in like sardines , but even then how the hell do you get that many in the car 😳

4 in the front and 5 in the back  and 6 in the boot,  its not rocket science lol

The question they should have asked  is not how do you get 15 in a fortuner, but rather how do you get them all out when the inevitable happens.   The answer as the OP  clearly demonstrates  is   "who cares"

About 20 years ago i arrived with a taxi to a accident with a motorcycle and a truck between karon and Phuket city.

A foreigner from Germany had cut off both his legs and bleeding heavy.The rescue arrived and the first thing they did was checking his wallet looked for insurance.They didn't find anything that proved that he had that 

Then suddenly they wasn't in any hurry to take him to a hospital.He died on the spot because he bleeded out.

Terrible how they threat people.

Another time i arrived outside saraburi where a terrible car accident with many deaths.I asked the taxi to stop and he said no no no..if they see me there they would blame me even we arrived after rescue arrived.

Amazing Thailand.!