Hua Hin man drowns in pond as grandson watches on
A 73-year-old man drowned while fishing at a public pond in Hua Hin Soi 102 on 11 May.
His 10-year-old grandson reportedly saw him swimming back towards the bank before he disappeared underwater.
Rescue divers found the man’s body about 10 minutes after entering the water.
A 73-year-old man drowned while fishing at a public pond in Hua Hin Soi 102 on Monday, 11 May, after entering the water without flotation equipment.
The Sawang Hua Hin Thammasathan Foundation rescue unit said it received a report of a man missing underwater at a public pond inside Hua Hin Soi 102, in Hua Hin City Municipality, Hua Hin district.
Rescue workers coordinated with a diving team and were sent to the scene to search for the missing man.
The incident took place at a large public pond near several housing developments. At the scene, officials found an orange Honda Click motorcycle with a sidecar parked beside the pond.
A plastic basin containing fishing nets was seen floating in the middle of the pond. Relatives and the man’s 10-year-old grandson were waiting at the edge of the water.
Six divers from the Sawang Hua Hin Thammasathan Foundation entered the pond at the point where the boy said he had last seen his grandfather. According to the information given to rescuers, the man had been swimming back towards the bank before disappearing underwater.
The divers searched the area in a line formation and found the body about 10 minutes later. The man was identified as Mr Payom, 73, a resident of the Bon Kai community. He was found underwater, not far from the bank.
Relatives told officials that Mr Payom worked as a motorcycle taxi driver in the Bon Kai community and regularly went to the pond to catch fish to cook at home.
On the day of the incident, it had been raining and Mr Payom had taken his 10-year-old grandson with him to set fishing nets.
The family said Mr Payom normally used an inner tube to help keep himself afloat while in the water. However, on Monday the inner tube was leaking, so he brought a life jacket instead.
Relatives said the zip on the life jacket was faulty and he was unable to put it on. He then entered the water without any flotation equipment.
Main image: Screenshot from Google Maps
