A heavily intoxicated man was rescued in Khon Kaen, Thailand, after climbing into a water tank and falling asleep inside. Police were alerted at 11:30am on 2 July 2026, after residents reported a man inside the tank in an alley off Phimphasut Road in Khon Kaen municipality.

Get today's headlines by email

When officers and rescue workers arrived, they found the unidentified man standing upright and asleep, wedged in the tank with only his head above the rim and unresponsive despite repeated attempts to wake him.

Rescuers drained the water from the tank and the man fell to the bottom still asleep. They then carefully tipped it onto its side to pull the man out safely. After regaining consciousness, the man walked to the road and rode away on his motorcycle. There is no report explaining why no officers stopped him, despite being clearly intoxicated.

Pictures courtesy of Khaosod

A local resident, Montakarn Buathong, 44, said workers behind her home discovered the man inside the tank and initially feared he had died because he was motionless. She said he later told rescuers as he walk to his motorcycle that he had been drinking heavily before parking his motorcycle near the alley, climbing over a fence, opening the tank lid and getting inside to sleep.

Khaosod reported that residents said the man was fortunate to survive, noting that if he had lost his balance and fallen into the water inside the tank, he could have drowned.

Join the discussion?

Already a member?

Adapted by ASEAN Now Khaosod 3 July 2026

View full article

Lucky he climbed into a water tank and not a septic tank… different ending altogether. 😬

Seems he was tanked!

Despite this, the police allowed him to ride "...away on his motorcycle...despite being clearly intoxicated..."???

3 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

Seems he was tanked!

Despite this, the police allowed him to ride "...away on his motorcycle...despite being clearly intoxicated..."???

Here at Morlam, the police help drunk people onto their motorcycles and push them the first 5 meters to get them going.

Hard drinkers those KK residents !

On 7/3/2026 at 4:41 AM, Nemises said:

Lucky he climbed into a water tank and not a septic tank… different ending altogether. 😬

He'd have caused a 'right stink'.