Family’s Trek Turns to Terror in Thai Wilderness
A family holiday in Thailand almost ends in disaster. A 68-year-old South Korean man, his Thai wife, 54, and their 10-year-old son vanish for hours in the pitch-black jungle of Doi Khun Tan National Park, Lampang.
The trio is found late Saturday, utterly exhausted after more than five hours lost in dense, unforgiving forest. Their ordeal begins with a simple hike—and spirals into a fight for survival.
Search Teams Race Against Time
The drama unfolds at 9:30pm on 27 September 2025. Officials from Hang Chat District, national park rangers, and volunteers launch a desperate search. The family has become separated from their group—nearly 30 strong—during a trek that started after a train ride from Chiang Mai to Mae Tan Noi station.
The group sets off along the Mae Tan Noi Reservoir. But the family lags behind, tries to turn back, and soon finds themselves hopelessly lost as darkness falls.
Rescue in the Nick of Time
Panic sets in. The family calls for help as night closes in. Authorities quickly trace their location, sending out search teams on foot and motorcycles.
At last, around 10pm—over five hours since they disappeared—the rescuers find the family. They are seven kilometres from the reservoir, shaken and drained by their ordeal.
Naresrit Udonsri, Hang Chat’s district chief, personally leads them down the mountain. He escorts them straight to Hang Chat Hospital for urgent checks.
Tour Operator Faces Backlash
The family is overwhelmed with gratitude for their rescuers. But officials are not letting the matter rest. District chief Naresrit vows, “We will investigate the tour operator to find out why the guide left the family behind.”
How could a group of nearly 30 hikers lose track of a family with a young child? The authorities promise a full investigation to prevent such terrifying incidents in future.
Not the First Jungle Drama
This isn’t an isolated case. Only last August, a 79-year-old Thai woman was found alive after three days lost in Phitsanulok’s forests—barely clinging on.
Thai officials repeatedly warn: never enter national parks without experienced guides, especially after dark. Even seasoned hikers can be caught out by the treacherous terrain and sudden nightfall.