Man dies from extreme heat in zinc-clad Thai home

In a tragic turn of events, a 39 year old man succumbed to the extreme heat in Thailand, passing away inside his zinc-clad home. His sister recounted the harrowing moments leading up to his final breath, revealing his last words before his untimely death.

On the afternoon of May 3, in the community of Premruethai, Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province, Phongsak was found unconscious and not breathing by his relatives after collapsing just after getting up from his bed.

The house, made predominantly of zinc sheets, was described as a hotbox with no windows, only a single door for entry and exit. The relatives immediately called emergency services, hoping to save Phongsak’s life.

Volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation and local rescue workers rushed to the scene. Despite their efforts to revive him, including CPR and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), Phongsak passed away beside his bed, in front of his relatives and grandchildren.

The following day, at 3pm, yesterday, May 4, Thiramanas, 38 year old Phongsak’s sister, went to Rama Hospital to collect her brother’s body. She prepared for the funeral rites to be held at Sala 5 in Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai, also known as Wat Luang Por To, in Bang Phli district. The cremation was scheduled for tomorrow, May 6 at 4pm. The death certificate listed the cause of death as coronary artery and hepatic sclerosis.

Thiramanas revealed that on the day of the incident, she was informed that her brother was struggling to breathe due to the intense heat. He sought relief by asking a neighbour to spray him with water.

After a brief respite, he returned to his room but soon cried out for help, gasping for breath and feeling like his heart would fail. He instructed her to call for an ambulance, but before it arrived, he uttered his last words.

“When the ambulance gets here, it will be too late for me.”

Moments later, he lost consciousness with foam in his mouth, and his condition rapidly deteriorated. Phongsak had a history of an enlarged heart and pulmonary oedema, reported Sanook.

Phongsak’s dwelling, a single-story house with zinc roofing and walls, lacked any windows. He had lived there for about six to seven years, preferring solitude and often refusing to open the door to cool down, despite his sister’s advice.