Phuket coconut collector takes fatal plunge

PHUKET: A Phuket man collecting coconuts died today after about a 14-meter fall from the top of a tree.

Rescue workers arrived at the scene at Baan Bang Lieng coconut farm at about 9:30am to find Thammanoon Prateep Na Talang, 34, unconscious on the ground.

“Mr Thammanoon was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where a medical team did their best to revive him. They believe his lungs and other internal organs were too badly injured in the fall for him to survive,” said Capt Pichai Wattanawalan of the Thalang Police.

Capt Pichai told the Phuket Gazette that he later inspected the scene of the accident.

“We believe Mr Thammanoon had been at the top of the coconut tree he was found next to,” said Capt Pichai. “A fall from that height can certainly cause serious injuries, or death, but we are investigating in the hopes of gathering more information about what happened.”

— Thawit bilabdullar