Four men found dead after entering old well in palm plantation in Phang Nga
Four men died after entering an old well to clean it at a palm plantation in Kuraburi district, Phang Nga, with authorities believing oxygen deprivation caused their deaths on April 26.
PHANG NGA — Four men have been found dead after entering an old water well to clean it inside a palm plantation in Kuraburi district, with authorities initially suspecting suffocation due to a lack of oxygen.
Rescue workers were called to a shallow well in a palm plantation in Village 11, Ban Saeng Tham, Khura subdistrict, after reports that several people had died inside the approximately six-metre-deep structure on 26 April 2026.
According to initial reports, the victims had entered the well to carry out cleaning work before reportedly losing consciousness and drowning. Authorities believe the deaths were caused by oxygen deprivation, as the confined space inside the well had limited airflow.
Rescue teams were initially unable to retrieve the bodies due to the narrow structure and low oxygen levels inside the well. Officials from the Phang Nga Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office were later deployed with specialised equipment to assist the operation.
All four bodies were eventually recovered. The deceased were identified as men aged between 34 and 51.
Amorntep Preekham, acting chief of the Phang Nga Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, said the operation involved coordination among multiple agencies. He said initial assessments suggest the victims likely died from suffocation inside the well, adding that a detailed investigation will be carried out.
