Tragedy in northern Thailand as durian picker loses life in perilous hillside fall

An incident in northern Thailand left locals in a state of shock, highlighting the dangers endured by durian pickers navigating treacherous terrain. Tragedy struck a community when a woman lost her life and her devastated son could do nothing but grieve.

The disaster unfolded within a durian orchard in Laplae district, situated on the challenging hillside terrains of the northern Uttaradit province. Durian pickers face a considerably demanding task, frequently operating in dangerous conditions as the sites can only be reached via twisting hillside paths inaccessible to trucks. An unfortunate 66 year old woman, Wongduan, found herself in one of these sites, a mere 7 metres deep into the hilly area.

Her companion for the day was her son, Montri. Having fulfilled her task of picking durians, Wongduan was attempting to traverse the challenging terrain on her motorcycle, when she lost control and tumbled down the hill.

The son’s desperate cries echoed through the still valley as he discovered his mother’s lifeless body. The possibility of immediate medical intervention was crushed as the ambulance crew found her without a pulse.

Wongduan’s fatal fall, which claimed her life almost instantaneously, involved her losing control of her Honda motorcycle loaded with durians. The crash resulted in visible wounds on the back of her head, with a subsequent review by local authorities revealing no suggestion of foul play involved, KhaoSod reported.

Further details of the incident came to light during the medical rescue mission, which had to be operated solely on bikes owing to the inaccessible terrain. The momentous task of bringing her body back involved meticulously wrapping her remains, loading these onto another bike, and navigating 50-centimetre wide hillside trails. The process took half an hour to complete, with rescuers stepping cautiously to prevent any more casualties.

Chief Executive of the Mae Phun Mae Phun Sub-district Subdistrict Administrative Organisation (SAO), Rian Pintapua, highlighted that the culmination of heavy rain preceding the fatal incident and the steep, narrow paths likely contributed to the tragic accident. He extolled the fruit pickers who skilfully navigate through these conditions daily, a sign of their vast knowledge of the terrain.

This hazardous journey forms a part of their daily life, often beginning at the break of dawn, when locals transport their freshly picked durians to the market to sell. Knowledge of the dangerous paths, often no wider than 50 centimetres, is common amongst the community members, who navigate their way carefully. This tragic incident serves as a cruel reminder of the unforgiving challenges they face on the durian-laden hills.