Monk Missing After Bamboo Raft Capsizes In Surat Thani
A bamboo raft carrying 12 monks capsized on a river in Surat Thani province, leaving one monk missing and 11 others injured; rescue teams are actively searching the waterway near Ban Bang Jam.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin reported that 12 monks were on a bamboo rafting trip upstream on Khlong Yan when the raft capsized near Ban Bang Jam in Tambon Ta Kook Nuea, Amphoe Wiphavadi, Surat Thani Province. The incident resulted in 11 monks being injured and one monk missing. The minister immediately ordered all agencies under the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, particularly Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, to coordinate with local authorities in deploying personnel and equipment for a comprehensive search and rescue operation while providing urgent assistance to the injured.
The minister emphasized that personnel safety must be prioritized and ordered close monitoring of the situation with continuous progress reports until the search and rescue mission is completed. He instructed all agencies to mobilize their full resources and capabilities to locate the missing monk as quickly as possible.
As of 2 p.m., rescue teams were continuing the search for the missing monk while the 11 injured monks were being transported to Wiphavadi Hospital for treatment. Multiple agencies including the Surat Thani Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, Tachana District Disaster Prevention Office, Ta Kook Nuea Subdistrict Administrative Organization, Wiphavadi Hospital, Wiphavadi Police Station, Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park personnel, volunteers, and related organizations coordinated in the search and rescue efforts. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
