Rural Village Mourns Popular YouTuber Hlon Solo's Death
Popular YouTuber Hlon Solo died following his final video filmed in remote Wung Ka Sang village in Kamphaeng Phet province, devastating residents who had grown attached to the kind content creator during his visit in June 2024.
Residents of Wung Ka Sang village are heartbroken over the death of popular YouTuber Hlon Solo following his final video upload from their community. The case of the famous content creator's disappearance while filming in Georgia sparked widespread search efforts by Thai nationals abroad and social media appeals. He was subsequently found dead in a hotel, leaving fans and Thais questioning the circumstances surrounding his death, which has become major news.
His most recent YouTube video was filmed in Wung Ka Sang village, Moo 10, Pong Nam Ron subdistrict, Khlong Lan district, Kamphaeng Phet province in mid-June 2024, and was uploaded three weeks ago, accumulating over 3 million views. The video documented a remote rural community without electricity, phone signals, or internet access, showcasing local life and attractions. The village, once unknown, has since attracted steady streams of tourists following the video's release.
On July 30, 2024, at 2:00 PM, a reporter traveled approximately 60 kilometers from the city center to the village to retrace Hlon Solo's content creation journey, arriving after about one hour. Cell phone signal is cut off from the outside world starting at the Khlong Wang Chao National Park entrance. The route has improved over time with concrete and hardened earth roads. The village has 115 households with 360 residents who use radio for communication, solar cells for electricity, and purchase internet access hourly at 10 baht per hour, 25 baht for three hours, or 39 baht daily. Residents typically carry machetes when visiting the fields for self-defense and harvesting.
Everyone in the village knew Hlon Solo well as a famous YouTuber with many followers, and they closely followed news from his disappearance through his death. The residents felt deeply saddened by his death because when he came to film content in the village, everyone came to love him for his good character. Anusom Prasoertsilp, 42, owner of a shop where Hlon filmed, said: "I felt very sad hearing the news of his death. When he came to film alone, everyone in the village spoke with one voice saying they loved him very much. After his video was released, the village became known and attracted many tourists."
The reporter visited the Ban Pong Nam Ron Early Child Development Center (Wung Ka Sang), where Prapan Saeng Thong Sri, 31, a preschool teacher, explained that Hlon filmed a video for GULF Company during the presentation of solar panel installations for electricity. The teenagers in the village knew Hlon through social media and were delighted when he came to donate items and participate in community activities. Learning of his death shocked and deeply saddened everyone—no one expected it would be his last visit to film in the village. Children here felt extremely sad and could hardly believe it was real. During their brief time with Hlon, they felt attached and loved him greatly; he greeted everyone with good manners and was a truly kind YouTuber.
