Buddhist monks save child from drowning in the Chao Phraya river

Two Buddhist monks from Wat Bang Sai temple, located on the waterfront in Samut Prakan province, jumped into the Chao Phraya river on Saturday and saved a child who was drowning.

Once 13 year old Khanin recovered from the incident, he explained that he was swimming with his friends when the water underneath him suddenly became very cold. He said he lost all feeling in his legs which caused him to sink. The child’s 3 friends managed to hold him up until the monks brought them to safety.

One of the monks, 40 year old Phra Somyong Ritsing, said he had just emerged from his living quarters when he heard a lay Buddhist at the temple shout that a child was drowning in the river. Phra Somyong ran to the water’s edge, where he could see a group of children struggling in the distance.

Phra Somyong said he could see one child’s head dipping under the surface of the water, so he decided to remove all but one layer of his saffron robes and jump in. Phra Somyong said one of the younger monks also dived into the river to help.

The two monks swam for more than 500 metres, and the wind kept blowing the children further away, said the monk. Phra Somyong said that when he reached the children, the drowning child was in a state of shock, looked as if he had lost consciousness and was repeatedly vomiting.

The monks brought the child and his 3 friends safely back to the shore, where locals gave him first aid.

Rescue volunteers from the Ruam Katanyu foundation said they received a call to go out and help a child who was drowning, but by the time they arrived, the monks – with the help of locals – had already saved the child’s life, who has since made a full recovery from the incident.

Drowning continues to be the leading cause of death among children under 16 years old in Thailand.

SOURCE: Sanook