KHURA BURI, THAILAND – Four men died in a well shaft on an oil palm plantation in Phang Nga province after being overcome by toxic gas, according to local authorities.
Four deaths in plantation well shaft
Emergency responders were called late in the morning to a plantation in Khura Buri district, where four unresponsive men were found at the bottom of a well about six meters deep. Police identified the victims as 42-year-old Suthon, 34-year-old Suthat, 30-year-old Theeradon and 51-year-old Wahab, all residents from nearby communities.
Initial findings indicated that two of the men had entered the shaft to carry out cleaning work. When they failed to respond, two others climbed down to help them but also lost consciousness and were unable to get out of the shaft on their own.
Further victims narrowly avoided
A fifth man who intended to descend into the shaft reportedly felt dizzy and withdrew in time. A professional rescue worker also had to abandon his descent after experiencing similar symptoms.
Both men remained unharmed, and their decision to stop the operation prevented additional casualties.
Recovery by specialist rescue teams
The responsible fire brigade could not enter the shaft without protective gear because of the lack of oxygen. Specialist teams equipped with breathing apparatus carried out the recovery of the four bodies.
Experts believed that hydrogen sulfide had accumulated in the shaft over many years. The gas can form in organic deposits and, at high concentrations, leads rapidly to loss of consciousness.
Authorities issue warning over confined wells
Thai authorities used the incident to publicly stress that work in wells, pits or confined underground spaces without gas monitors and respiratory protection was life-threatening. They emphasized that even experienced workers could not detect invisible gas accumulations in time.
Fire services and civil protection officials recommended measuring the atmosphere before any descent into a shaft and working only with appropriate protective equipment. They stated that first-aid measures from outside should take priority over entering the shaft personally.
Similar incident reported in Chai Nat
At the same time, another fatal well incident occurred in Chai Nat province. A married couple died in a ten-meter-deep shaft on a rice field after the wife went down to help her husband.
Authorities said both cases illustrated a known but still underestimated risk associated with agricultural well maintenance in Thailand. They announced plans to intensify information campaigns in rural areas to address the danger.