Cautionary Tale: 82-Year-Old Rental Owner Dies After Fainting, Head Strikes Water Container; Family Donates Body to Medical School
An 82-year-old rental house owner in Samut Prakan died after fainting and striking his head on a water container in his bathroom on May 12, 2025; his family donated his body to medical school.
On May 12, 2025, police from Bang Kaew Police Station and rescue personnel from Po Tek Tung Foundation investigated a rental house in the Kingkaew area, Moo 15, Bang Phli Noi Subdistrict, Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan Province, after receiving a report that a man had been found drowned. Inside the bathroom of the rental room, authorities discovered the body of 82-year-old Mr. Sathian lying face-down with his head submerged in an old metal drum being used as a water tank. Initial assessment suggests he had been dead for at least 1-2 hours. His 81-year-old wife, Khun Yai Sirinun, explained that her husband owned the rental house and usually stayed alone in the room where the incident occurred. Before discovering her husband's death, she heard someone calling out for water, and recognizing the familiar voice, she went to check on him. She found him collapsed in the bathroom and called for help. Resident Nangsat, who also lived in the rental building, said she came to help when called and immediately notified authorities. By the time officials arrived, the elderly man had already drowned and died. Captain Piraphan Sukchusri, assistant investigator from Bang Kaew Police Station, along with forensic doctors from Ramathibodi Institute and rescue personnel, examined the scene. The body's face was half-submerged, and the water level in the container was only three-quarters full. No signs of injury or assault were found. Authorities concluded that the man likely fainted and his head fell into the water container while he was bending down to draw water. Since no one witnessed the incident, he could not be rescued in time. The family did not seek further investigation into the cause of death and has donated the body to a medical school, where it will undergo physical examination to determine eligibility for medical education purposes, in accordance with the deceased's wishes and the family's intentions.
