Thai man severely injured after balcony collapses on Bangkok path

A 65 year old Thai man sustained severe injuries after a balcony of a four-storey building collapsed onto him while he was walking along the footpath on Charansanitwong Road in the Bang Phlat district of Bangkok on October 12.

The 36 year old deep-fried chicken vendor, Wae Nawae, who witnessed the accident, called officers from Bang Phlat Police Station and Ruam Katanyu Rescue to the scene. Wae told police that he saw the victim walking near Soi Charansanitwong 57 when wooden structures and tiles from the collapsed balcony fell on him, striking his head.

According to a report from ThaiRath, the victim, later identified as 65 year old Prasong Kraiwisuth, lost consciousness and sustained a severe head wound. He was admitted to Siriraj Hospital but his condition has not been updated.

Wae told police that this was not the first incident involving the old and deteriorating balcony. Some tiles fell from the balcony previously, though they were only small ones.

Wae said it was fortunate that the broken structure landed on a metal awning on the first floor before hitting the victim. If not, the severity of the victim’s injuries would have been much worse. The metal awning was seen to be damaged from the debris.

Officers will question the victim once his condition improves and will also summon the building’s owner for questioning. Officials from the Bang Phlat District Office will visit the scene to remove the damaged awning and balcony.

In a related report, the lifeless body of a Dutchman was found on a second-floor awning of a mansion in Pattaya in July. The incident is suspected to be a suicide, as police found no signs of physical assault, theft, or struggle at the scene.

Additionally, a German man reportedly jumped from the third-floor awning of a hotel in Pattaya in a suicide attempt. He survived but sustained serious injuries. The motive for his attempt was not reported.