Motorcyclist plunges into canal following GPS mishap in Thailand
A 24 year old man found himself in a precarious situation after his Honda Forza 350 motorbike plunged into a canal. The incident occurred late yesterday, December 17, as he was trying to follow GPS instructions while returning home. CCTV footage captured the moment of the accident, which took place just before midnight.
Vatcharent had been riding his motorbike towards Bangkok on Suwinthawong Road in Chachoengsao province when the mishap occurred. Following the GPS directions, he failed to notice the road ahead, leading to the unfortunate plunge into the Khlong Chao canal near Sala Daeng subdistrict.
His motorcycle, a red-registered vehicle from Chon Buri, ended up submerged at the bottom of the canal, which is over 2 metres deep.
Upon receiving notice of the incident, Surachai Puangsaayut, an admin of the Facebook page We Love Suwinthawong, promptly responded to the call for help. Upon arrival, he found Vatcharent drenched and visibly shaken, but otherwise unharmed.
The young man then guided Surachai to the exact spot where his vehicle had sunk, pointing out his floating helmet as a marker.
“I was riding back home and missed the turn because I didn’t realise there was a canal ahead. I didn’t slow down in time.”
Vatcharent added that he had been visiting a friend in Bang Pakong district and decided to return home to Phanat Nikhom district in Chon Buri province. Without initially using GPS, he became disoriented and eventually resorted to the navigation system.
Motorbike accident
“I followed the GPS instructions, which told me to veer left and go straight. I was going about 130 kilometres per hour when I realised too late that there was a canal.”
The motorbike sped off the road and into the water. Thankfully, Vatcharent managed to swim to safety and call for assistance.
Emergency responders, along with local Good Samaritans, quickly convened at the scene. They planned a retrieval operation, diving into the canal to locate and secure the motorbike with ropes. Working collectively, they successfully hauled the vehicle back to the riverbank.
Following the recovery, Vatcharent requested that his motorbike be temporarily parked at the repair shop belonging to one of the helpful bystanders. He promised to return the next day with a new set of keys, as his originals and mobile phone were lost in the water during the incident, reported KhaoSod.
CCTV footage from the scene showed that Vatcharent, riding at high speed, failed to execute a right turn beneath the bridge, resulting in the direct course into the canal. Despite the full canal, he managed to swim to safety and seek help from Chachoengsao rescue teams.
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