Frenchman missing after boat capsizes

As storms wreak havoc across the South, research is still going on at the Surat Thani pond.

Rescue workers in boats search for a missing French tourist after a tour boat capsized in strong winds at the Rajjaprabha Dam in Ban Ta Khun district of Surat Thani on Saturday. (Photo: Supapong Chaolan)
A visit boat capsized in strong winds on Saturday at the Rajjaprabha Dam in Surat Thani’s Ban Ta Khun region, prompting rescuers to search for the missing European holiday. ( Photo: Supapong Chaolan )

Local authorities reported that a senior European tourist’s tour motorboat capsized in the Rajjaprabha Dam’s Ban Ta Khun city of Surat Thani on Saturday, leading to his disappearance.

Rene Mary Corre, time unknown, was among 13 folks on a longtailed ship that was taking a group of 10 European visitors from a wharf to their raft-house on the tank. A trip guide, a caretaker, and the boat’s operator were the other three people.

Strong winds ripped through the neighborhood while the party was taking a cruise around Khao Sam Kloe, and the boat capsized due to high tides. 12 people were rescued by area authorities who were immediately present.

Authorities said they were even checking whether a local visitor boat had been able to locate the missing man. When the tragedy occurred, another group of European tourists were traveling by boat.

One visitor reportedly choked on waters, sending another visitor to Surat Thani while another complained of neck stiffness and was taken to Ban Ta Khun Hospital for a checkup.

The boat’s operator was questioned about the event, and the rest of the visitors were taken to safety up to the wharf.

Officials said that four Phatthalung towns in the north were declared crisis places on Saturday as heavy rainfall continued to batter the area.

Heavy rain and strong winds had a significant impact on people of 57 villages in the regions of Muang, Banphot, Nakharin, and Khuan Khanun.

The worst-hit place was tambon Prangmoo in Muang region, where floods reached 40–50 centimetres, overflowing the storm challenge.

More than 3, 000 homes in Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Chumphon, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, have recently experienced flood.

However, the situation in Chumphon had eased, with 1, 745 communities in Phatthalung and Nakhon Si Thammarat also grappling with great waters.

The department claimed that powerful northern winds swept the Gulf of Thailand, causing heavy rain to cover the southern area.