Rescue mission underway for lost students in Kanchanaburi forest
Rescue teams are working to assist a group of Mahidol University students and lecturers who became lost in the forest in Kanchanaburi during a geology field operation. While initial reports mentioned injuries among the group, all members are now confirmed to be safe.
The incident came to light after a Facebook user, Persia Jongtawon, posted an urgent message accompanied by photos on December 25 at 4 p.m. The post read: “Urgent: a rescue team is being dispatched to assist students and a lecturer lost in the forest near Mahidol University, Kanchanaburi.”
Further details were shared in a rescue operation chat group, where it was noted that the lecturer had attempted to navigate the group to safety but faced challenges due to thorn injuries and depleted water supplies, reported KhaoSod.
An update from the Facebook page เจ๊ม้à¸à¸¢ v+ later confirmed progress in the rescue mission. “The rescue team has located the students and lecturer lost in the Sai Yok forest. Everyone is safe, and the location is near Ban Tha Kathi, Soi Lum Sum, Chong Sadao Subdistrict, Mueang District, Kanchanaburi,” the post stated.
It added that the rescue team was in the process of bringing the group down from the mountain, a challenging operation given the steep and rugged terrain.
The incident involved a geology expedition team from Mahidol University, which had been divided into three groups. Groups 2 and 3 returned safely, but Group 1, led by Doctor Parinya Buddhaphiban, an advisor to the Vice President of Mahidol University’s Kanchanaburi Campus and a geology expert, faced difficulties during the survey.
Students rescue
Dr Parinya’s team included Doctor Sutascha Hongsrisawat, a lecturer in the Department of Geology, a geology professor from Beijing, China, five geology students from Mahidol University’s Kanchanaburi Campus, and one geology student from Beijing.
The team began their survey early yesterday morning, December 25, exploring a mountainous region near Ban Tha Kathi, Village 6, Chong Sadao subdistrict. Although their route had been pre-mapped, the lack of mobile signal disrupted communication, leading to temporary disorientation.
By 5.30pm, rescue teams from the Pitak Foundation, aided by local villagers, located the group. The rescue process is ongoing due to the challenging terrain, but no serious injuries have been reported ch7.
Dr Parinya later clarified that the group was not lost but had delayed their return as nightfall approached more quickly than anticipated during the winter season. Concerned about the students’ safety, he sought help from local guides to ensure the team could exit the area safely before dark.
