Update: The story has been updated with Tep Sa-ngawong’s death.

KALASIN — At least two deaths has been attributed to plunging rural temperatures after two elderly men died as of Wednesday.

Tep Sa-ngawong, 81, was found dead Wednesday morning lying in a plastic boat in his yard in Nakhon Nayok. His sister suspected he had gone to the bathroom in the night before deciding to sleep without any blankets in the boat instead of climbing up to bed, causing him to die in the cold.

Juy Kulsri, 86, died Tuesday at his home in Kalasin city. Police Lt. Col. Somsong Wiangpati said the most likely cause of death is the elderly man’s inability to adapt to the sudden cold spell, with the autopsy indicating he died from a heart attack.

Juay was only wearing a Tshirt and shorts, and was not sleeping with a blanket even though his daughter Rabeab Lohamat, 54, had asked him no. His son, Tiang Kulsri, 60, said Juy had no preexisting conditions and did not smoke or drink.

Temperatures in Kalasin dropped to as low as 15C on Tuesday.

Department of Medical Services deputy director Nattapong Wongwiwat said Wednesday that the elderly should war appropriate outerwear, exercise regularly, and drink six to eight glasses of warm water during the day during winter.

Pakee Supsipat, public health director of Maha Sarakham province, warned Wednesday that the weeklong cold spell during this winter season could put vulnerable groups of people at fatal risk.

Children under 2, pregnant women, the elderly, obese people as well as those with asthma, or suspectible to renal failures, strokes, and heart attacks need extra care during the cold weather season, as they are at increased risk of measles, pneumonia, influenza, acute diarrhea, hand-food-and-mouth disease, and heart problems.

Bangkok is expected to drop as low as 14C to 20C, with highs of 27C to 30C.

Temperature expected to drop the most on Saturday through Monday, with mountaintops in the north expecting to drop as low as 1C.

The North and Isaan should expect lows of 9C and highs of 29C. The central and eastern provinces should see lows of 15C and highs of 30C, the south, 20C to 34C.



Related stories:

A Week of Slightly Cooler Weather Ahead in Thailand

Man Sleeps Outdoors, Dies Of ‘Cold Weather’