AYUTTHAYA — An 81-year-old woman was rescued after becoming trapped inside a disused drainage pipe behind a temple in Ayutthaya province on 23 April 2026.
Ayutthaya rescue units were alerted to the incident at a site near Wat Sadet, close to the Pa Sak River in Nakhon Luang district. Medical staff and rescue workers from Somdet Phra Sangharaja Hospital were also deployed to assist.
At the scene, rescuers found the woman, identified as 81-year-old Prachuap Boonpanchan, trapped inside a reinforced concrete drainage pipe measuring about 50cm in diameter and 5 metres long.
The pipe, which was reportedly no longer in use and partially filled with soil, had become narrow and difficult to navigate. Rescue teams and villagers used concrete-cutting equipment to open sections of the pipe, installed ventilation, and brought in fans to reduce heat and improve airflow inside.
After around 30 minutes, rescuers managed to cut an opening near the middle of the pipe. A dog was seen running out of the opening moments before a rescue worker entered the confined space and carefully pulled the woman out.
She was found unconscious and in a weakened condition, with abrasions across her body. She was rushed to hospital, where officials later confirmed she was safe.
A local monk, identified as the woman’s son, said he heard noises while watering plants behind the temple and later discovered his mother trapped inside the pipe. He immediately alerted authorities.
He said his mother is fond of dogs and cats and believed she may have crawled into the pipe to help an animal that had become stuck, but likely collapsed due to extreme heat and was unable to crawl back out.
