Man Found Dead in Rice Field, Suspected Heatstroke
A 52-year-old man from Nakhon Ratchasima died after collapsing in a rice field while clearing weeds, with authorities suspecting heatstroke in hot, humid conditions.
NAKHON RATCHASIMA — A 52-year-old man died after reportedly suffering heatstroke while clearing grass and weeds in a rice field in Nakhon Ratchasima province.
At around 10:53 on Sunday, Hook 31 Korat rescue volunteers at the Kham Sakaesaeng unit were alerted by Pol. Lt. Col. Thiwakorn Chaemklang, an investigator at Kham Sakaesaeng Police Station, about a man found dead in a rice field in Ban Nong Thuriang, Non Mueang subdistrict, Kham Sakaesaeng district.
The field was located some distance from the road, forcing rescuers to leave their vehicle by the roadside and walk into the area carrying rescue equipment and a stretcher.
At the scene, rescuers found a man lying dead in a water channel along a field embankment. He was wearing black trousers and a long-sleeved blue shirt and had a waist bag.
Police ordered the body to be brought out of the water channel for examination, while police officers, local officials and villagers observed the process.
A mobile phone and the man's national identification card were found inside the waist bag. He was identified as Boonnam Chiansanthia, 52, a resident of Huai Thalaeng district, Nakhon Ratchasima.
No wounds or signs of assault were found on his body.
Relatives told authorities that Boonnam was originally from Huai Thalaeng district but had moved to Kham Sakaesaeng after marrying a local woman.
Before leaving home at around 08:00, he told his family that he was going to clear grass and weeds in the rice field.
When he had not returned by late morning, his family went looking for him and found him dead at the scene. They then alerted the village headman, who contacted police and rescue workers.
Authorities initially suspected that Boonnam had suffered heatstroke due to the hot and humid weather. He may have become dizzy, lost consciousness and fallen face-down into the water channel, where he was unable to help himself and went unnoticed until his death.
Rescuers took the body to Kham Sakaesaeng Hospital for a forensic examination to determine the exact cause of death. The body will then be released to relatives for religious rites.
