On the afternoon of July 28, a sudden surge of water from Khao Yai National Park sent torrents rushing down to the lower areas, affecting three waterfalls: Saow Noi, Khlong Chang Khlan, and Tharn Thip, located in Pho Ngam Subdistrict, Prachantakham District, Prachinburi Province. The unexpected deluge turned the waters into a muddy red color, causing tourists enjoying the waterfalls to panic and scramble to safety.
Some tourists were caught on the opposite side of the floodwaters and couldn’t escape in time. Others on the safe side formed human chains to help pull stranded visitors to safety. In some areas, waterfall staff had to use ropes tied between trees on both banks, allowing tourists to cross back safely.
The flash flood was caused by accumulated rainfall over the previous 24 hours. Although the water flow began to subside about an hour after the incident, the current remained strong.
As a result, over 1,000 tourists who had planned to enjoy the waterfalls decided to stay on the banks, where they either purchased food or prepared their own meals while waiting for the water levels to normalize before returning to swim.