CHIANG MAI, Thailand — A serene morning turned to tragedy when a young mother and her seven-year-old girl drowned in the murky waters of a university reservoir, sparking grief and questions about safety at the secluded spot.

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The devastating sequence began around 9:15 AM on April 11, when the child—dressed in a pink outfit—slipped into the five-meter-deep reservoir while her 30-year-old mother washed clothes along the bank. Witnesses described the mother’s frantic plunge to save her daughter, a desperate act that cost both their lives.

Nearby construction workers hurled fishing nets into the water, managing to pull the unconscious girl to shore. Medical teams performed CPR at the scene before rushing her to Nakornping Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

As the mother remained missing beneath the opaque water, divers from Region 5 and the Mae Jo rescue team scoured the reservoir. After 20 agonizing minutes, they recovered her body 50 meters from shore. “The depth and poor visibility made this operation painful,” said 23-year-old rescuer Sila Manotee, his voice trembling. “We kept hoping… but the water was too cruel today.”

Police confirmed the pair were from the Tai Yai (Shan) ethnic community. Neighbors revealed the mother frequently visited the Chiang Mai Rajabhat University reservoir—a quiet area favored by locals for laundry and bathing, despite lacking safety barriers or warning signs.

At the family’s bamboo home in Mae Rim district, relatives clutched the child’s pink sandals and schoolbooks. “She was supposed to start Grade 2 next term,” wept an aunt, while monks chanted prayers nearby. University officials announced an immediate safety review of the reservoir, long considered a hidden hazard.

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This double tragedy highlights a grim reality: Drowning remains Thailand’s leading cause of child deaths, with 900+ fatalities annually. As monsoon season approaches, authorities urge extreme caution near waterways—especially unprotected ones like this scenic but deadly campus reservoir.

-Thailand News (TN)