Tragedy: Father and 14-Year-Old Son Drown at Chumphon Beach During School Break Trip from Saraburi

A tragic drowning claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy at Thung Wua Len Beach in Chumphon on May 3rd at 1:00 PM. The boy had been traveling with his 38-year-old father from Saraburi on a motorcycle during school break. Police lieutenant Saiyan Tumrawat of Pathio Station received the report and coordinated with multiple rescue units including Chumphon Udomsak Hospital rescue team, Chumphon Charity Foundation rescue unit, and Sapli Subdistrict rescue team. Many tourists gathered at the scene in shock as rescue personnel deployed equipment to search the sea. Within approximately 20 minutes, rescuers discovered the unconscious boy at the bottom of the 2-3 meter deep ocean and immediately brought him to shore to perform CPR. Though his pulse briefly returned, he remained unconscious and was rushed to Chumphon Udomsak Hospital. Despite doctors and rescue workers' full efforts to save him, the boy died shortly after. The grieving father, 38, explained that they had arrived in Chumphon two days earlier to visit relatives and explore the beaches. At Thung Wua Len Beach, he had called his son back to shore, but the boy requested to continue playing and assured him not to worry. Minutes later, the father lost sight of his son and immediately called for help. Rescue volunteer Weerathep Yaemnoy, one of the responders, noted that the beach area had strong currents that seemed to pull bodies underwater, with depths reaching 2-3 meters. Several rescuers who went to help also became weak and nearly lost their own lives. He warned that while the sea may appear calm, certain areas have deep channels, strong currents, and dangerous undertows, advising swimmers to stay in safe designated areas and never take their eyes off children.