Phuket water plant worker dies in freak accident

PHUKET: An employee at a desalination plant in Karon died yesterday when he was sucked into a high pressure intake hose at the facility.

The worker, 40-year-old Tannit Pramungij, accidentally fell into a large vessel containing sea water while performing routine maintenance at the REQ Water Services plant about 2:30pm on Tuesday.

Mr Tannit was sucked into a 30-meter length of high pressure intake hose connected to the tank, used to force saltwater though the reverse-osmosis membrane tubes.

Colleagues rushed to free him, but he was unconscious with a very low pulse when recovered.

He was taken to Patong Hospital, where he later died.

Maj Thabanapat Jaturonpan of the Chalong Police said that doctors think asphyxiation was the cause of death because there were no other wounds on his body.