Ranong – Authorities in Ranong are investigating the death of an Italian tourist whose body was discovered beneath a two-meter-high bridge near the National Telecommunications Company office. The tragic discovery was made by a local resident, who immediately alerted nearby traffic police stationed at the provincial tourism festival.
Ranong City Police received the report at 6:00 p.m. on March 12 and were dispatched to inspect the Klong Rahat bridge in Khao Niwet Subdistrict, Mueang Ranong District. The location was approximately 100 meters from the ongoing 2025 Annual Ranong Hot Spring Tourism Festival.
According to the villager who found the body, he was looking down at the area beneath the bridge, which was covered in tall grass, when he spotted a man lying face down on the canal embankment wall. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, he quickly notified the authorities. Upon learning that the deceased was a foreign tourist, Police Major General Thanawat Wattanakul, Commander of Ranong Provincial Police, personally arrived at the scene and ordered an urgent investigation. Officers were instructed to gather witness statements and review CCTV footage from the vicinity.
Authorities later identified the deceased as Mr. Marco, a 65-year-old Italian national. Residents living across the canal reported hearing dogs barking intensely after midnight, suggesting that the incident may have occurred during the late-night hours. A motorcycle taxi driver also stated that he had seen a foreign man walking unsteadily near the festival entrance the previous night, though he could not confirm whether it was the same person.
By 7:00 p.m., a forensic team from Ranong Hospital and the provincial forensic unit released preliminary autopsy results. The findings indicated that Mr. Marco had died approximately 8 to 10 hours before his body was discovered. There were no signs of physical assault.
Investigators suspect that the tourist may have lost his footing while attempting to step over a water pipe at the bridge head—a spot frequently used by locals for urination. It is believed he accidentally fell, struck his head on a hard surface, and succumbed to his injuries.
Authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding his death and are reviewing additional evidence to determine the exact cause of the incident.
