12 year old boy saves suicidal teen girl from Chao Phraya, Bangkok

Thai media outlets and netizens praised a 12 year old boy for the rescue of a 17 year old girl from an attempted suicide in the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok on Friday.

The Ruamkatanyu Foundation at Bang Phong Phang Police Station Facebook page shared a video of the young hero on Friday, November 22. In the caption, the foundation explained that a group of young boys saved the 17 year old girl, later identified as Nattamon, from a suicide attempt.

Nattamon reportedly jumped from Krungthep Bridge in the Ban Kho Laem district of Bangkok into the Chao Phraya River at around 7pm. The boys jumped into the river and pulled Nattamon to the bank safely. She was rushed to Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital due to exhaustion.

Channel 3 interviewed one of the boys involved in the rescue mission, 12 year old Tanaphat “Klao” Boonkird, and his mother, 31 year old Suppawan Thaitanadrop, on Saturday, November 23, at Klao’s home in Soi Charoenkrung 107, Section 14, which also operated as a restaurant called “3 ท ข้าวแกง&ข้าวต้มกุ้ย 3 บาท” (3T Rice, Curry, and Porridge 3 Baht).

Klao revealed to the media that he and his friends went to the bridge to fish. Initially, they fished from the bridge, but his hook got stuck on something in the water. He and his friends then went down to the riverbank to try to fix the hook.

Unfortunately, while they were adjusting their fishing rods, they heard a loud splash. They turned to find Nattamon floating in the river, shouting intermittently that she wanted to die but also saying she did not want to.

Klao said he was the only one who could swim in the group and decided to jump into the river to help the girl. He had to swim about 50 metres from the bank to pull her in. After being rescued, Nattamon asked the boys to retrieve her phone from the bridge so she could call her friend.

Proud of son

Initially, Nattamon’s friends did not believe the boys’ words, so the group sought help from a nearby security guard.

Klao said that Nattamon cried and told him she wanted to die. He and his friends comforted her and encouraged her until the rescue team arrived to take her to the hospital.

Klao later left a message for Nattamon, urging her not to harm herself. He told her that if he had not been there, no one would have been able to help her.

Klao’s mother, Suppawan, expressed pride in her son, saying she never imagined he would be so brave. Suppawan explained that Klao did not mention the incident when he came home. She thought he might have been afraid that she would punish him for taking such a risky action.

Suppawan revealed that she was proud of what her son had done and advised him to be careful whenever he offered help to anyone.

She also encouraged Nattamon to think carefully before taking any action and to continue with her life, as every problem can be solved in time.

Nattamon reportedly received a health check at the hospital before her family took her home to rest after the incident.

If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. Seek help.