A 67 year old man drowned while attempting to rescue his dog from a pond in Chanthaburi province. The pet was saved by a neighbour, unaware that the owner had drowned. The incident occurred yesterday, February 2, at around 2pm.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanachet Phromtha, from Mueang Chanthaburi Police Station, received a report from the Chanthaburi Sawang Katanyu Thammasathan Foundation Rescue Centre regarding a drowning incident at a fruit orchard on Chedi 1 Alley in Tha Chang subdistrict, Mueang district.
Upon arrival with investigative officers, a forensic doctor from Phra Pok Klao Hospital, and rescue personnel, they discovered a tarp-lined pond approximately 20×20 metres wide, with water depths of around 1 to 2 metres.
The pond was obscured by bamboo sticks and floating duckweed, making it difficult to locate the victim’s body. The pond owner later used a motor to pump out water, reducing the level to about 1 metre, allowing rescue workers to retrieve the body with some difficulty.
During the investigation, Areerat, a 55 year old niece of the man, identified the victim as 67 year old Boonmee Chuensonthi. She explained that he likely drowned while trying to save Cola or Daeng, a male Thai stray dog he had cared for over a year.
The dog had fallen into the neighbour’s pond, and Boonmee drowned while attempting a rescue. Cola managed to stay afloat until the pond owner rescued him, unaware that Boonmee was underwater.
Boonmee was known for his affection towards dogs, having previously rescued stray dogs and once risking his life to save one from drowning. Despite warnings from his family, they never imagined a similar incident would happen again.
Chatchaphon, a 24 year old pond owner, recounted discovering the body. Earlier, he had arrived to pump water into the orchard and noticed a red dog struggling in the water, along with a floating hat and a boot at the pond’s edge.
Assuming the dog had accidentally fallen in, he rescued it, unaware of the owner’s situation. Later, relatives searching for Boonmee noticed the hat, boot, and a watering can they recognised as his, prompting them to seek help, reported KhaoSod.
Upon feeling the pond’s bottom with their feet, they discovered the body and notified the police for assistance.
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