Tragically, the body of a volunteer from the forest fire patrol team was found after he went missing upon completing his wildfire suppression and firebreak duties in Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai. It is believed he died due to extreme heat, accumulated exhaustion, and underlying health problems.
According to reports, Mae Rim District received notification from the village headman of Saluang village that a volunteer from the village’s forest fire patrol and suppression team had gone missing. This occurred after completing wildfire suppression duties in the area on the evening of 31 March 2026, around 8:00 p.m.
The missing volunteer was Mr. Boonma Phadang, aged 56, who participated in the village’s wildfire suppression operations. On the day of the incident, he joined the patrol team to extinguish the fire and establish firebreaks, which were completed by evening before he lost contact.
Following the disappearance, officials and local residents mobilized a continuous search in the area where he was last seen. They also coordinated with his family, who confirmed he had not returned home.
Later, on the morning of 1 April 2026, Mr. Watchara Thepkan, the district chief of Mae Rim, ordered the establishment of a search center and coordinated over 200 personnel from related agencies to urgently conduct search operations in the area.
At approximately 10:00 a.m., the missing man's body was found in the forest about 300 meters from the firebreak site. There were no signs of foul play. Initial assessments suggest death resulted from accumulated exhaustion combined with extreme heat and a pre-existing condition of high blood pressure. Authorities have coordinated with medical examiners to perform a formal autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Mr. Ratthaphon Naradisorn, Governor of Chiang Mai Province, expressed condolences to the deceased’s family and thanked all officials and volunteers for their dedication to preventing and addressing forest fires, haze, and dust pollution. He emphasized the need for all personnel to exercise heightened caution when working in hazardous conditions, especially under extreme heat, to ensure maximum safety.