Tourist Dies in Cliff Fall, Minister Orders Nationwide Park Safety Boost
A 30-year-old female tourist died after falling from a cliff while camping at Doi Hua Wao Jo in Mae Surin Waterfall National Park, Mae Hong Son. The minister of natural resources ordered immediate nationwide safety upgrades at all national parks and the temporary closure of the park. Recovery teams retrieved the body after a delay caused by difficult terrain and darkness.
On November 14, 2026, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchat Chomklin addressed the fatal accident in which a tourist fell to her death at Doi Hua Wao Jo in Mae Surin Waterfall National Park, Mae Hong Son province. 'I am deeply saddened by this incident and extend my deepest condolences to the family of the deceased,' he said. After receiving a late-night report, the minister ordered the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to coordinate with all relevant agencies to recover the body, provide full assistance to the family, and elevate safety standards across all national parks nationwide, especially during the peak tourism season.
Department Director-General Yongyut Nakviroj said he received the report from the Protected Areas Regional Office 16 (Mae Sariang branch) and dispatched its director, Chain Siang, to the scene to coordinate with the family and oversee the recovery. He also instructed all national park chiefs and field units nationwide to inspect risk points, install warning signs, and enforce maximum safety measures for visitors.
Chain Siang detailed that the accident occurred around 10:00 PM on November 13, 2026, when a 30-year-old female tourist, identified as Wararin, slipped and fell while camping with friends at Doi Hua Wao Jo in Ban Huai Hee, Huai Puling subdistrict, Mueang district. She had left the campsite for personal reasons near the cliff edge. When she did not return, her friends alerted local guides, who found slide marks at the cliff edge and located her body approximately 150 meters down at around 2:00 AM on November 14. Due to the steep, mountainous terrain and darkness, recovery operations were delayed until daylight. At 6:30 AM, a combined team of park rangers, the Public Disaster Relief Foundation, Mae Hong Son municipal rescuers, Singhanat Special Task Force (Border Patrol Police Company 7), and village headmen retrieved the body and handed it over to the family for religious rites.
