SURAT THANI –
A long-tail tour boat carrying 18 passengers capsized on Sunday morning amid stormy conditions in Ratchaprapha Dam, a popular tourist site in southern Thailand. All passengers were rescued, though one Thai tour guide was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The Baan Tha Khun Police in Surat Thani told the Phuket Express that the incident occurred around 11:00 a.m. near a section of the reservoir locally known as “Chong Khao,” notorious for treacherous weather and previous accidents. Heavy rainfall and strong gusts are believed to have caused the vessel to overturn.
According to initial reports, the boat was carrying 16 foreign tourists—five from Belgium and 11 from the Netherlands—alongside a Thai tour guide and boat operator. Authorities confirmed that everyone on board was wearing life jackets at the time of the accident, and emergency responders were able to retrieve all passengers from the water.
However, the 44-year-old female guide was found unconscious and later succumbed to pulmonary complications associated with drowning. The remaining tourists and the boat captain were unharmed.
Local police from Ban Ta Khun district, rescue teams, and tourism police were promptly dispatched to the scene. The tourists were taken to shore, and medical teams administered first aid before transferring the injured guide to Ban Ta Khun Hospital.
In response to the tragedy, Surat Thani Governor Thiruth Supwiboonphon ordered district officials and tourism authorities to ensure support and care for the affected tourists. He also urged the Regional Marine Office to intensify inspections of tour boat safety protocols and enforce life jacket regulations more strictly. Boats operating in the area may be barred from departing during poor weather or low visibility conditions. The cause of the accident remains under official investigation.
