Chinese tourist found dead after car is swept into flooded canal
A Chinese tourist was found dead after his car was swept into a flooded canal in Thailand.
Guijun Ni, 39, was driving through the waterlogged Samnak Thong market area in Rayong when his white car was suddenly swept away by the powerful floodwaters.
The vehicle was carried around two kilometres downstream before plunging into a ditch near the Lakchai Muang Yang industrial estate.
The Chinese driver reportedly managed to escape the car, but was swallowed by the raging torrent and drowned.
Police found his overturned car on September 28, and his lifeless body some 200 metres away, lying face-down in the mud.
Police Captain Watcharaphong Boontham of Sam Nak Thong Police Station confirmed the body belonged to the missing driver, who is believed to have been swept away when a sudden flash flood engulfed his car.
He said: ‘He possibly attempted to free himself and managed to open the car door to escape.
‘However, due to the intense and swift current, combined with exhaustion, he lost his strength and was swept away by the floodwaters, drowning at this spot.'
The body was sent to Rayong Hospital for a post-mortem exam to determine the cause of death.
Officers also coordinated with the Chinese Consulate to contact his relatives to repatriate his body.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said recent flooding across Thailand has killed at least 23 people and affected 2,602,309 people from 940,300 households across 29 provinces.
In Rayong, around 350 households across five districts were affected, authorities said.
Officials said waters were beginning to recede, but forecasters warned on September 28 that heavy to very heavy rain could continue across parts of northern, central and eastern Thailand.
