Thailand

Teen drowns in swamp during Thai boy scout challenge

Published

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 16:22

Photo via Facebook/Soraya Eeakphum

A teenage scout drowned yesterday after jumping in a swamp during a mock war with teachers who were throwing rocks at the students, acting as if the stones were bombs. The teen was later reported missing when he did not return home. It took divers 4 hours to search the 3-metre deep swamp and find 15 year old Noppakao Sita’s body.

Police say the Wat Na Ban Kor School in the Isaan province Kalasin had sent the students out to the nearby swamp for scout activities. Reports say teachers were throwing rocks at the students. The students pretended the rocks were bombs and jumped into the swamp, dodging the stones. Police suspect Noppakao did not know how to swim and was forced to participate in the activity.

At around 2pm, people noticed Noppakao was missing because he did not return home. According to Nation Thailand, a report was not filed with police until 8pm.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand

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14 Comments

Issan John

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 5:26 pm

Beyond stupid, followed by complete incompetence.

This should be criminal negligence, with an appropriate prison sentence, not just a payout from taxpayers’ funds.

Reply
Catman

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 5:52 pm

Why would they stand there and take a photo with the poor boys body? This isn’t a photo opportunity.

Reply
Ian

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 8:54 pm

Welcome to Thailand Catman I was fishing in khun han and they did same with a snail fisherman who drowned, taking photos of body and rescuers

Reply
Ian

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 9:15 pm

I cant help agreeing with ij why wasn’t the children supervised and a head count if this was UK the teacher or teachers would be arrested for manslaughter I feel for the parents a tragedy that should never have happened so sad to lose a child .

Reply
Sanuk

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 9:29 pm

A photo op with a dead body? that is deplorable and strange.

Reply
Somchai

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 10:11 pm

NO risk assessment, no planning, no analytical thinking, THIS IS THAILAND

Reply
michael cooksey

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 10:45 pm

My thoughts exactly. Where is the newsworthiness of that picture?

Reply
toby andrews

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 11:47 pm

A few years back there was a magazine in Thailand that showed traffic accident victims and murder victims.
It was in Thai and was popular!????

Reply
Fred glue

Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 9:14 am

It was too Toby, I remember now, it showed everything.

Reply
Issan John

Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 10:02 am

“No risk assessment, no planning, no analytical thinking, THIS IS THAILAND”

Unfortunately it’s not just “THAILAND” but it’s not unusual all too often, and lessons are seldom learnt unless and until people and organisations are held responsible. Look at heat stroke casualties in the British Army despite all the regs and precautions – there’s no excuse anywhere.

In this case it shouldn’t be the school and consequently the taxpayers who are held responsible but the individuals and the Boy Scouts, where this happens far too often.

Reply
Issan John

Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 10:30 am

“A photo op with a dead body? that is deplorable and strange”

By Western standards, yes, it’s ghoulish, but not by many others – to others it just shows the divers paying respect to the family and the recovered body having done their job successfully.

In many cultures parents and families would expect it, out of respect, and not taking such a photo would be tantamount to wanting to hide the body away, like a piece of refuse.

In the West you honour soldiers killed in war time by putting their names on a war memorial so “their name liveth for ever more”, or family by naming a charity or foundation after them. For aborigines, though, that’s the ultimate in disrespect and you shouldn’t even say their name out loud.

It may be “strange” to us if we don’t try to understand it, but that shouldn’t make it “deplorable”.

Reply
Wayno

Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 2:41 pm

Only the sick minded Thais would think about posing for a photo with a dead child. A strange breed of people

Reply
Issan John

Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 5:25 pm

Alternatively, Wayno, only sick minded people would treat a dead child as a piece of refuse to be put in a bag and hidden away rather than accorded respect that the parents and family can see.

It all depends on your perspective.

Reply
Thomas H.

Saturday, March 20, 2021 at 10:30 am

Issan John, thanks for your comments about customs around death. A little effort at understanding goes a long way and you taught me new things.

Reply