Body of 75-Year-Old Man Found Floating in Bangkok Canal

At 5:18 p.m. on September 5, 2026, Deputy Investigator Natthapong Tasri of Rat Burana Police Station received a report of a body floating in Bang Prok Canal near Suksawat Soi 30, Rat Burana District, Bangkok. Medical examiners from Siriraj Hospital and rescue volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation were mobilized to the scene.

Authorities recovered the body of a man floating face-down in the drainage canal, dressed in a short-sleeved blue shirt and black shorts with no shoes. He had white hair throughout. Initial examination found no signs of trauma or unusual wounds. A wallet containing identification and 5,240 baht was recovered from his trouser pocket. The deceased was identified as Nikhom, 75 years old.

Pa Jooang, a 64-year-old acquaintance, said the man had regularly sat drinking beer near her home. On the morning of the incident, he arrived around 6 a.m. and disappeared near noon. She noted that he had previously spoken about death, saying he did not wish to be cremated or given a funeral. She had warned him against such ill-omened talk. Pa Jooang described him as kind-hearted with no conflicts, a former taxi driver now retired, separated from his wife and daughter who regularly sent him money for expenses. When she learned a man had drowned, she went to check and was shocked to find it was him.

Kwang, 44, the person who discovered the body, said that around 4 p.m. while riding a motorcycle to do laundry, he noticed residents staring at the canal. Upon closer inspection, he initially thought he saw a doll but realized it was a human head. He immediately called 191 and contacted rescue services.

Kwang also stated that when authorities arrived, they found the body floating motionless in the middle of the canal. They secured it with cloth to prevent it from drifting away. Local residents noted that approximately 2 to 3 bodies have previously been found floating in this canal, prompting some to believe in a supernatural phenomenon, though Kwang found the body's stillness in the middle of the canal unusual.

Initial examination by Siriraj Hospital medical examiners found no signs of external trauma. The body is estimated to have been in the water for 4 to 5 hours. Detailed forensic examination is required to determine the exact cause of death. Police have not ruled out any possibilities and are reviewing CCTV footage from surrounding areas and tracking the deceased's movements before the body was discovered to gather evidence and determine the true cause of death.