Bangkok - Five Thais drowned over the New Year's holiday after their boat capsized when returning from a merit-making trip to a Buddhist temple near a reservoir, news reports said Sunday.

Divers on Saturday retrieved the five bodies from the muddy bed of the Siyad reservoir in Chachoengsao province, 80 kilometres east of Bangkok.

The accident occurred Friday evening when a boat packed with 11 people, all related, were returning from a trip to make merit for the New Year at a temple on the reservoir and visit a famous Buddhist monk, the Bangkok Post newspaper reported.

Six of the passengers survived by clinging to the overturned boat or to floating barrels of engine oil, but those who failed to find a float drowned, survivors said.

"They started to drown, one by one, in front of me," said Jaruni Wadwiang, 26, one of the women survivors. (dpa)