A search operation has been launched for four Buddhist monks who vanished after a bamboo raft carrying 12 monks broke apart while drifting along a canal in Kaengkrung National Park in Surat Thani province on Thursday night.
Park officials, local community leaders, villagers and rescue workers on Friday joined forces to search for the missing monks after the incident in Khlong Mui, located within Bang Yuan forest of Kaengkrung National Park, which stands in Vibhavadi district of the southern province, according to JS100 Radio.
Preliminary reports were that a total 12 monks had been travelling on a bamboo raft from Ranong when it broke apart on Thursday night, resulting in members of the group becoming separated.
On Friday morning, two monks emerged from the forest and sought assistance from a village headman, prompting the expanded search effort.
Rescue teams were initially able to located several of the group, some suffering from exhaustion due to a lack of food as well as minor injuries. They were taken to hospital for treatment.
As of 1.18pm on Friday, eight of the 12 monks were rescued, leaving four still yet to be found.
More than 20 national park officers and local residents continued searching the forest area on foot and by drone.
