SURAT THANI: A young child fell into the flood water surrounding his riverside home and drowned while his mother was asleep, in Phra Saeng district on Monday, police said.
Pol Lt Col Phubet Thonghiang, Phra Saeng chief investigator, said the house was in Moo 8 village in tambon I-pan, which had been flooded by ovrflow from the Tapi river.
The water around the house was about 1.8 metres deep. Police and rescuers had to travel to the house by boat.
The body of Phakin Nualkaew, whose fourth birthday would have been next month, was found about 100 metres from the house.
Phakin's mother told police she and her son were sitting on a terrace on the 2nd floor of the flooded house on Monday morning. She fell asleep. When she woke about 8.40am her son was missing. She believed the boy had fallen into the water, or gone down to play in the water not knowing it was so deep.
She and relatives searched frantically, but did not find him. They informed police.