Communities unite to rescue submerged backhoe

Men line up, ready to haul the submerged backhoe out of the mud. (Photos from Koh Libong Facebook page)

TRANG – Around 200 men from three villages gathered to pull a submerged backhoe from the mud after it sank below the surface while being used to build an embankment to protect a mosque on Libong Island.

The backhoe was hired to lay concrete stakes to make a barrier to prevent the waves from damaging Libong mosque on Sunday. About 40% of the work had been done when the heavy machine sank into the mud. Very soon, only the arm and part of the cabin were still showing.

Another larger machine was brought in to help anchor and free the mired vehicle, and the call went out the next day for the strong men of Moo 4 to help pull it up out of the mud. Unfortunately, a high tide prevented them completing the salvage, said Nisit Chaisit, chief of Moo 4 village in tambon Koh Libong of Kan Trang district. (continues)

Another backhoe, at the back, is called in to help.

The village chief tried again, asking for more than 200 men from Moo 4, Moo 5 and Moo 7 villages to help, and they hauled the backhoe from the mud on Tuesday.

Photos and a video of this operation have since been posted on the Facebook account of Koh Libong.

Mr Nisit said it was an impressive show of cooperation and community strength. Some of the men had to take the day off work, while the women helped by preparing food.

Ready to test their strength

(Video Facebook/Tanchairit)