PATTAYA, THAILAND – A 64-year-old foreign off-road rider suffered a broken leg in remote terrain near the Huai Khun Jit Reservoir and was rescued only after several exhausting hours.
Crash at reservoir in Khao Mai Kaew
The accident occurred on 19 March in the Khao Mai Kaew area of Bang Lamung District near Pattaya, close to the Huai Khun Jit Reservoir. The site lay in difficult, off-road terrain used by motocross riders.
Because the track was remote, a team from the Sawang Borriboon Dhammasatan Foundation reportedly had to walk more than two kilometres on foot to reach the scene. Vehicles could not get through to the location.
Rescuers forced over steep slopes
The rescuers only reached the injured man after a march over steep and challenging terrain that made access to the crash site difficult. The route in and out turned the operation into a physically demanding mission.
Evacuation became a serious endurance test, as the victim had to be carried out of the area on a stretcher. The uneven ground and gradients slowed every step of the team.
Injuries – broken left leg
Emergency workers later identified the rider as Bruce Michael Wood (64). The report did not specify his nationality.
According to the rescuers, Wood suffered wounds to his body and a broken left leg, so he was first treated on site. Only after stabilisation could he be moved for transport.
Four hours to reach hospital
Following initial treatment, the long evacuation began, with rescuers moving Wood step by step out of the rough terrain. Progress remained slow due to the steep, narrow trail.
According to SiamRath, the rescue lasted more than four hours before Wood was taken to Pattaya Bhattamakun Hospital. The extended operation underlined how much time difficult landscapes can add to an emergency response.
What the injured rider told rescuers
Wood told the emergency team that he had ridden into the area on his motocross bike and then fallen on a steep section of the track.
“I rode my motocross bike into the area and then crashed on a steep part of the route,”
said Wood, the injured rider.
Such steep sections in remote zones can significantly slow down rescues because vehicles often cannot reach the accident site. In many cases, only teams on foot can access those locations.
Similar incidents in Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi
In January there had already been several comparable operations, including in Phuket, where rescuers helped a Dutch woman after a hike left her with a broken arm and leg. She had to be assisted out of difficult terrain.
Also in January, a 63-year-old Briton in Chiang Mai was supported after becoming exhausted and disoriented in the forest, while in Krabi another Briton had to be rescued following a paragliding accident in Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. Each mission required significant effort from local rescue teams.
Outdoor adventures turning into rescue missions
These operations illustrated how quickly outdoor adventures in popular holiday regions could turn into rescue missions when terrain made every minute count. Remote paths, steep slopes and limited access repeatedly delayed help.
The reports raised questions about which rules and preparations tourists should strictly follow for off-road tours, hiking and air sports in Thailand, and at what point carelessness begins. Authorities and local rescue groups have often urged visitors to take conditions and their own abilities seriously before setting out.