An incident occurred "Paramotor" crashed into Pa Sak Cholasit Dam in Lopburi Province, causing one pilot to drown and go missing. Authorities mobilized forces for over three hours before finding the body deceased at a depth of 8 meters underwater. Friends at the scene were deeply saddened.
At 17:10 on 29 Aug 2026, police at Phatthana Nikhom Police Station received a report from Yothin Meesin, a security guard at Pa Sak Cholasit Dam, about an accident involving three paramotors crashing in Village No. 1, Manawwan Subdistrict, near Pa Sak Cholasit Dam, Phatthana Nikhom District, Lopburi Province.
The paramotors, or powered paragliders, took off from Ban Tha Rit, Manawwan Subdistrict, before encountering unstable weather and shifting wind directions, which caused the aircraft to crash. One fell near the dam’s edge, another landed on the ground behind the dam embankment, with both pilots sustaining minor injuries. The third crashed into the reservoir of Pa Sak Cholasit Dam, resulting in one male pilot going missing.
After the report, authorities from Phatthana Nikhom District, the local police station, village headmen, and volunteers from Ruamkatanyu Foundation and water rescue teams urgently mobilized to conduct a search amid continuing rainfall.
Around 20:00, underwater search teams and boat operators found one deceased male, later identified as Boonsri Tha Penboon, 59, from Lampang Province but working in Bangkok, submerged about 8 meters deep. Police and related agencies are investigating the exact cause of the accident.
Anan Kaewwichian, 31, a fellow pilot, said multiple groups had gathered; his group had three paramotors and took off from Ban Tha Rit around 16:30, flying along the dam’s embankment. Suddenly, strong gusts of wind struck. He steered his glider to shore, landing near the dam, while another crashed behind the dam.
He saw Boonsri’s glider drifting about 40 meters from shore before crashing into the water. They immediately abandoned their own gliders to assist. Boonsri detached from his glider and tried to swim ashore but lost strength and disappeared before their eyes. They alerted the security guard who notified the police. They have been flying paragliders for over 10 years, but this incident was caused by sudden gusty winds before a heavy rainstorm.
