Body Found Floating in Pattaya Canal; Police Investigating Identity and Cause of Death

On 31 July 2026 at 12:30 p.m., the Sawangboriboon Pattaya rescue team received a report from a member of the public that an unidentified man’s body was floating in a canal near Chaiyaporn Withi soi in East Pattaya. At the scene, rescuers found the deceased face down with minor bruising to the head and no identification. The team recovered the body from the water and transferred it to the forensic department at Banglamung Hospital to await autopsy and detailed examination of the cause of death.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Thinkorn Srisomboon, superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, said that authorities have not yet determined the cause of death. They must wait for the forensic pathologist’s autopsy results and forensic laboratory tests, such as toxicology and detailed wound analysis. Investigators at the scene recovered footage from security cameras at two nearby residences that may have captured movements into and out of the canal area, and the footage has been secured to check the victim’s movements and the last time he was seen.

Finding bodies floating in Pattaya’s waterways is not uncommon during the rainy season, when higher canal water levels and disorderly dock closures increase the risk of people falling into the water, including residents and tourists. The station chief warned that extra caution is needed along canal banks, especially at night and in poorly lit sois, and asked residents to report any suspicious activity or if they see someone alone to the police or rescue units immediately.

The incident has raised widespread concern among residents and tourists because Pattaya’s coastline and canals are used for fishing, tourism and local community activities. Such discoveries cast doubt on local safety. Local authorities and tourism agencies need to work together to tighten measures, such as installing lighting, adding warning signs along canal edges, and assigning patrols at high-risk points so residents and visitors feel safer.

Regarding the family and community response: if the deceased can be identified, authorities will notify next of kin and follow procedures to release or return the body. If the deceased is a foreign national, relevant agencies will coordinate with the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist with locating relatives and arranging religious or cultural rites. Police also requested that residents or business owners with CCTV near Chaiyaporn Withi soi and surrounding areas provide footage to investigators to expedite fact-finding. Anyone with information about the deceased or events on the morning in question is asked to contact Pattaya City Police Station immediately.

Meanwhile, Pattaya’s disaster prevention and mitigation agency is reviewing its emergency response readiness along canals, including training community rescue teams, establishing emergency assistance points, and publicizing emergency numbers to ensure faster response, reduce loss, and restore confidence among residents and visitors during the rainy season.