TRAT - A post detailing the circumstances of a tragic drowning off Koh Kham island has sparked a social media debate on the dangers of swimming in coastal waters.
The tragedy occurred on 1 June, as recounted by Facebook user Nattapon Budhong, who posted a detailed account of the events to raise public awareness.
According to his post, he had travelled by boat to Koh Kham that day, noting the pristine beach, clear skies and calm sea. A group of ten young professionals, maybe 27 to 28 years old, was also enjoying the idyllic setting.
While chatting with staff stationed on the island, who revealed that a large, unfinished luxury resort nearby had been abandoned for over a decade, an urgent and distressing moment shattered the calm. A member of the group approached, visibly shaken, and said, "Pe is missing".
Initially thought to have simply drifted away while swimming, his friends soon realised he was no longer visible. The resort staff responded immediately, launching a boat in search of the missing man.
Realising he had a drone with him, Mr Budhong deployed it from near the hotel and scanned the waters. About 100 metres out he spotted a dark shape just beneath the surface. A companion confirmed the object resembled a human body floating face-up. However, due to the midday glare on the water, visibility was poor, and confirmation remained uncertain.
He attempted to alert the boat but failed due to the distance, then rushed to inform those on shore. When the drone lost its initial position, he replaced the battery wih a fresh one and resumed the search, scouring nearby areas but finding only rocks.
With the battery running low, the search became increasingly urgent.
Three boats were deployed in the search alongside the drone - a paddle boat, a resort vessel and an inter-island boat.
As the search continued, the group’s distress grew palpable. One friend was overheard tearfully saying, “How am I going to tell his parents?” while others called out, "Pe, come home".
Finally, on the drone’s third battery, the inter-island boat located the body - astonishingly just six or seven metres from shore. The man was face down in the water.
He taken onboard and given CPR for nearly 30 minutes, both on the boat and the beach. Sadly, despite desperate efforts, he could not be revived.
A witness said the victim had been pulled out to sea, without initially realising it, probably by a rip current flowing under the surface. Although the water appeared calm and crystal clear, it masked a hidden danger that led to the tragedy.
The incident concluded around 3pm, when the body was taken to Koh Mak. Shockingly, as new tourists arrived normal beach activities resumed almost immediately. Some people were even seen taking photos near the very spot where they had given the drowned man CPR. The new arrivals were blissfully unaware of the recent tragedy.
Mr Budhong ended his post with a sobering reflection: “Every place has its tragedies, we just may not know about them. The strange stories we hear are often rooted in imagination. But when we remain unaware, we see nothing.”