Unconscious man by Lam Nam Mat raises drowning fears

A man in Nakhon Ratchasima province was found unconscious in a grassy area by the Lam Nam Mat yesterday, startling friends and rescue workers who had feared he drowned. After approximately two hours of searching, the man was discovered semi-submerged and delirious, repeatedly muttering, “Someone took me away.”

On the banks of the Lam Nam Mat in Seung Sang District, Nakhon Ratchasima, a day of relaxation turned into a dramatic rescue operation. The incident occurred around 4pm, when volunteers from the local rescue unit Hook 31 were alerted to a missing person in the river. As villagers and rescuers scoured the area, hoping the man had not succumbed to the waters, an unexpected discovery unfolded.

Amidst the reeds lining the river, villagers noticed movement. Approaching the spot, they, along with rescue workers, found the missing man, identified only as Samruay, a 45 year old local from Ban Rat subdistrict. Half-submerged and pale, his body trembled, his speech slurred and confused.

The rescuers swiftly carried him from the riverbank, quickly working to warm his chilled body and administer first aid before rushing him to Seung Sang Hospital.

Earlier that afternoon, around 2pm, Samruay and three friends, including 45 year old Lhod, were enjoying the river’s edge, slicing mango to stave off the heat. Samruay decided to cool off in the water.

As time passed and the heat intensified, Lhod, finding himself out of the water and feeling the sting of spicy mango, went to call Samruay back. But Samruay had vanished, his silence raising alarm. Only his hat floating on the water’s surface gave any clue to his whereabouts.

An extensive search ensued, and after two hours, with the rescue team prepared for an underwater recovery, Samruay was found on the riverbank instead, reported KhaoSod.

Piyawat Harasuk, a volunteer rescuer who found Samruay and accompanied him to the hospital, described the moment of discovery.

“When we found him by the river, he appeared disoriented, shivering from the cold after being in the water for so long. He was incoherent, mumbling the same phrase repeatedly from the moment we took him out of the water until we reached the hospital, saying, ‘Someone took me away.’ It’s unclear who Samruay might have encountered or what experience led to his distressed state.”