In Phatthalung province, in southern Thailand, a grandmother who saved her four-year-old grandson from drowning remains missing after a flood-related incident.
On the evening of November 26, floodwaters turned the village streets into channels, and the pair went out to walk and photograph the inundated landscape. About fifty meters from their home they slipped and fell into a canal, calling for help as the current surged around them. The scene that unfolded was a stark reminder of how quickly floodwaters can overwhelm even careful plans, and the risk facing families who chose to venture out to document the moment.
The boy’s father, who had just returned from work, hurried to the canal’s edge and watched the powerful current pull his family away. Chotika, aged 49, managed to push her grandson toward his father, who dragged the drowning boy to the surface. The grandmother could not resist the force of the stream and disappeared into the dark water, later listed as missing by local authorities who were coordinating the search at the water’s edge and along the banks.
Residents of the village praised Chotika’s courage and offered their support. The community gathered to provide meals, lend hands, and assist in the ongoing search as teams braved swollen banks and churning channels. Volunteers moved through the area in small boats and on foot, keeping lines open with radios and mobile devices as dusk faded into night. The intention was clear: leave no stone unturned in the effort to bring the grandmother back and to help the family cope with the sudden loss of safety and stability caused by the flood.
“We are doing our best to find him. The water is treacherous, but hope remains,” search teams stated, as crews continued to scour the canal and its surroundings with tools and teamwork under the fading light and into the night. The night sky carried a damp chill, and the river’s face reflected the steady resolve of responders who refused to abandon the search despite the difficult conditions. Local residents kept watch from their homes and roadside spots, sharing updates and offering hot meals to weary workers who had spent hours in the field, reflecting a community stitched together by common hardship and a shared commitment to care for one another.
In a separate act of generosity that highlighted the region’s sense of solidarity, a former kindergarten teacher donated part of her liver to save a five-year-old patient. The life-saving gesture underscored the willingness of people in the region to help others even amid their own struggles, and it served as a poignant example of the compassionate spirit that accompanies times of crisis. This act of medical generosity resonated beyond personal relief, reminding the community that courage often travels through many channels, from rescue attempts at floodwaters to acts of life-saving kindness in hospital wards.