Last Updated on September 25, 2026 by Jeff Tomas
PATTAYA – Heavy rain battered Pattaya overnight, causing severe flooding across the vibrant coastal city and its surrounding neighborhoods. Tourists faced highly dangerous conditions as rapid water quickly filled the busy streets and major roads.
A tragic accident occurred early Tuesday morning when floodwaters surged through the Nern Plub Waan area. Three foreign tourists fell into a fast-flowing canal while wading through the dark, murky waters. Local emergency responders are now urgently searching for one missing man who was swept away.
Key Takeaways
- Severe overnight rain caused major flooding across Pattaya and its busy surrounding neighborhoods.
- Three foreign men fell into a swollen drainage canal, and two were safely rescued.
- Rescue teams are actively searching for the third tourist swept away by the fast current.
The heavy downpour started late Monday night and continued endlessly into the early hours of Tuesday. Water from higher grounds rapidly flooded into the city’s main drainage canals, causing them to overflow. Many popular spots faced deep, fast-moving water that made travel nearly impossible.
Roads like Pattaya Third Road, Soi Buakhao, and Walking Street were hit incredibly hard by the storm. Tourists leaving closing bars had to walk through dirty, rushing water to get back to their hotels. By dawn, the flooding situation turned highly dangerous in certain residential areas outside the main city.
The local Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue foundation received an urgent distress call around 5:00 AM. Emergency responders rushed to Soi Mab Yai Lia 45 to investigate the terrifying scene. At the location, dark floodwaters completely hid the concrete boundaries of a large drainage canal.
Torrential Rains Drown Pattaya Streets
The water current inside the canal was incredibly strong and posed a massive threat to anyone nearby. Local resident Tikorn Thongkanluang witnessed the terrifying moment firsthand and immediately rushed to help. He reported seeing three foreign men walking closely together through the flooded street before disaster struck.
According to his account, two men suddenly slipped and fell directly into the raging water. The third man narrowly escaped the same fate by grabbing hold of a nearby bridge railing. Tikorn quickly jumped into action and successfully pulled one of the fallen men to safety.
Sadly, the heavy current instantly swept the other struggling man away into the darkness. Security cameras from a nearby house captured the entire tragic accident on video for investigators to review. The clear footage shows the men walking together right before the sudden, unexpected fall.
Search Operations Continue for Missing Tourist
The security video confirms that a man wearing a white shirt vanished completely underwater. Strangely, after the rescue, the two surviving men quickly left the scene of the accident. They did not stay to provide further details or personal information to the arriving emergency officials.
Rescue teams are still actively scanning the canal banks for any signs of the missing tourist. The ongoing rain and strong currents make the search mission very difficult and incredibly risky. Rescuers must work carefully to avoid another terrible accident in the dangerous floodwaters.
Authorities are actively trying to identify the three tourists involved in this heartbreaking incident. Their names and nationalities remain unknown, but police are checking local hotels for missing guests.
