Missing park ranger found dead in Kanchanaburi cave

A park ranger who went missing inside Sao Hin Cave in Kanchanaburi province on Tuesday has been found deceased, according to the latest update from Lam Khlong Ngu National Park.

Divers have discovered the body of Paisan Waenpetch, a freelance ranger working for the park, and efforts are currently underway to bring it out of the cave, a senior park official said.

Akkhanit Klangpraphan, head of Lam Khlong Ngu National Park, stated that Paisan was guiding tourists on an eco-trekking tour in the area when he disappeared in the water inside Sao Hin Cave.

Upon receiving the report, the Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation ordered a systematic and urgent search for the missing ranger, taking into account the cave’s challenging terrain and various risk factors.

Due to the cave’s complexity, the park coordinated with a diving team from the Pitak Karn Foundation, which specializes in underwater operations, to assist in the search and rescue mission, Akkhanit added.

Sao Hin Cave is one of Lam Khlong Ngu National Park’s most notable attractions. It is a vast limestone cave over 500 meters deep, renowned for its stunning stalactites and massive natural limestone columns resembling those in a grand cathedral—hence the name “Sao Hin” (Stone Pillars).

An underground stream flows through the cave, and during the rainy season, water levels rise significantly, with strong currents making navigation especially dangerous.

Authorities are now working to retrieve Paisan’s body from the cave.