A mushroom-picking trip turned deadly after a Nakhon Phanom man was stung about 10 times by a swarm of wasps, suffered a fatal collapse and died before reaching hospital. Villagers are now preparing a dangerous search to locate and destroy the nest after earlier attacks in the same forest were reported in recent days.
A routine trip to gather mushrooms for dinner ended in tragedy when a 64-year-old man was fatally attacked by a swarm of wasps in a eucalyptus forest in Nakhon Phanom. His wife has now recounted the terrifying moments she found wasps still clinging to his body before he collapsed and died on the way to hospital. As villagers prepare to hunt down and destroy the nest, fresh details have emerged about the victim’s final minutes, a witness who spoke to him shortly before his death and growing fears over repeated wasp attacks in the same forest.
A 64-year-old man died after a swarm of wasps attacked him while collecting mushrooms in a eucalyptus forest in Nakhon Phanom province. Despite desperate efforts to save him, he died on the way to hospital. His wife later revealed it was the first time he had entered the forest to gather mushrooms for dinner.
Relatives gathered on Sunday at Ban Mai Sapangthong, Village No. 12, in Kham Thao Subdistrict, Mueang district, for Mr. Konkham’s funeral. Family members, neighbours and villagers attended the service following the sudden death.
Mrs. Ahwal, 62, said the couple entered a villager’s eucalyptus forest on Saturday afternoon. They had heard mushrooms were growing in abundance. Many villagers had already collected them. As a result, her husband decided they should gather some for their evening meal.
Husband walks into thick bushes before emerging in panic as wife discovers wasps still clinging to his body.
The couple searched together for a time. Mrs. Ahwal then suggested they head home. However, Mr. Konkham walked deeper into thick bushes instead. Moments later, he called her over and pointed to his back. He said something had bitten him.
Seconds later, panic erupted. Mr. Konkham burst from the bushes and repeatedly shouted that wasps had stung him. His wife rushed to him and pulled up his shirt. She found large black wasps still clinging to his body.
She counted one wasp near his buttocks, two around his waist and one on his right shoulder. In addition, another two or three remained attached to his temples and the back of his head. Overall, she estimated about 10 wasps had attacked him.
“While walking out of the forest, my husband started running away and said he had been stung by wasps,” Mrs. Ahwal said.
“I pulled up his shirt to check his back and found one large, black wasp, two on his rear, two on his waist, one on his right shoulder, and two or three on his temples and the back of his head, totalling about 10 wasps.”
Victim complains of a severe headache before collapsing as rescuers fail to save him on route to hospital
The attack quickly took its toll. Mr. Konkham soon complained of a severe headache. His strength rapidly faded as they struggled through the forest. Without delay, Mrs. Ahwal placed him on her motorcycle and raced home. However, his condition deteriorated throughout the journey.
Knowing he suffered from high blood pressure, relatives immediately called emergency medical services. Rescue personnel arrived and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They then transferred him for treatment at Nakhon Phanom Hospital. Despite those efforts, he died before reaching the hospital.
Later, a coroner ruled that Mr. Konkham died from heart failure caused by wasp sting poisoning combined with his pre-existing high blood pressure.
Separately, former Ban Kluay village headman Mr. Somprasong Laba described his brief conversation with the victim only minutes before his death. Mr. Somprasong, 62, said Mr. Konkham emerged from the forest looking concerned. He told him something had stung his back, although he did not know what had caused it.
Villagers prepare to hunt and destroy the wasp nest after fatal attack and earlier stings in the same forest
Believing it was a minor incident, Mr. Somprasong suggested mosquitoes were probably responsible because they were common in the forest. He then asked whether Mr. Konkham had collected many mushrooms. In response, the victim held up a bag containing his harvest before riding home on his motorcycle.
Mr. Somprasong then returned home to feed his cattle. Shortly afterwards, his nephew arrived with devastating news. He said Mr. Konkham had died. Initially, the former village headman refused to believe him. They had spoken less than 30 minutes earlier.
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Nevertheless, he rushed back to the village and confirmed the death. By then, relatives and friends had gathered at the family home. Meanwhile, many other villagers telephoned him seeking confirmation after hearing reports of the tragedy.
Notably, the fatal attack has renewed fears about wasps in the eucalyptus forest. Mr. Somprasong said several villagers had previously been stung in the same area. Even so, many residents continue entering the forest during mushroom season because of the plentiful harvest.
In response, villagers planned to return to the forest on Sunday afternoon wearing protective clothing. They intended to search for and destroy the wasp nest believed to be responsible. The operation aims to prevent further attacks in a forest regularly visited by mushroom collectors.
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