Two Central Festival Pattaya Beach employees ordered to clean a drainage pipe died after suffocating from carbon dioxide overexposure.
G4S Co. security guard Suradet Nutpong, age unknown, and technician Saeksan Khumsuwan, 25, were pronounced dead at Pattaya Memorial Hospital May 22. Fellow security guard Sompong Sukhkria, 28, was treated for injuries after escaping the 4-meter-deep drainage well but passing out in the underground parking lot.
Sompong told police that he and his co-workers were sent to clean out the deep, meter-wide pipe because it was blocked with garbage, preventing water from draining from the parking garage. The Suradet and Nutpong were unaware that the 60cm of wastewater in the pipe was putting out so much carbon dioxide. They lost consciousness, suffocated and drowned.
Police are investigating whether it was an unfortunate accident or whether caused by negligence on the part of the supervisor.
