Surat Thani – A long-tail boat carrying 18 people capsized Sunday morning in the turbulent waters of Cheow Lan Lake at Khao Sok National Park, resulting in the death of a Thai tour guide while all foreign passengers survived. The accident occurred around 11:00 a.m. near Chong Khao, a section of the reservoir known for its unpredictable weather and history of maritime incidents.

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Authorities confirmed the vessel was transporting 16 European tourists—five from Belgium and 11 from the Netherlands—along with a Thai guide and boat operator when sudden heavy rain and strong winds overturned the craft. Despite all passengers wearing life jackets, the 44-year-old female guide was pulled unconscious from the water and later pronounced dead at Ban Ta Khun Hospital due to drowning-related complications. The remaining individuals, including the captain, were unharmed.

A tour guide drowned, but 16 foreign tourists were safely rescued after their tour boat capsized in Chiew Lan Reservoir in the southern province of Surat Thani today.https://t.co/AieWMje1ke #ThaiPBSWorld #ThailandNews pic.twitter.com/ytZZBjzyai

— Thai PBS World (@ThaiPBSWorld) July 20, 2025

Emergency teams from Ban Ta Khun district, alongside tourism police, swiftly responded to the scene, rescuing the group and providing immediate medical attention. Surat Thani Governor Thiruth Supwiboonphon has ordered enhanced safety measures, including stricter life jacket enforcement and potential sailing restrictions during adverse weather.

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This tragedy marks the latest in a series of incidents at Cheow Lan Lake, following a British tourist’s drowning in March 2025 and a cave flooding ordeal in August 2024 that trapped 24 people. An official investigation into Sunday’s capsizing is underway as authorities grapple with balancing tourism demands with safety in the ecologically sensitive park.

-Thailand News (TN)