Tragedy as 13-Year-Old Boy Drowns While Attempting to Rescue Struggling Friend

A 13-year-old boy jumped into the water to rescue his 14-year-old female friend who was drowning, but was pulled under by her and both disappeared beneath the surface. Relatives lit incense at a shrine before the bodies were recovered.

At 5:00 PM on May 23, 2569, Police Lieutenant Colonel Wiresak Srivauray, head of Tharuean Police Station, received a report of two children drowning near Tharuean Pier on Soi Kasetrat, Khlong Toei District, Bangkok. He proceeded to investigate with divers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation. At the private pier, a 15-year-old friend named Chatchai gave a statement that he, his friend Pho (13 years old, a first-year student at Nonthaburi Wittaya School), and friend Waep (14 years old) had come to swim at the pier. He and Pho could swim, but Waep could not.

Before the incident, he swam about 20 meters from the dock toward the shore, then Waep attempted to follow him. However, due to the strong current, Waep began to drown and called for help. When Pho saw this, he jumped in to rescue her, but Waep grabbed and pulled him under as well.

After learning of the incident, two teams of Ruamkatanyu Foundation divers took turns searching. Relatives of the children lit incense at a shrine asking to find them. After more than two hours, rescuers found both bodies locked in an embrace approximately 50 meters from the dock. The bodies were handed over to the foundation and sent to Siriraj Hospital's forensic medicine department for detailed examination.