Man with mental illness rescued after being stuck under a fence for 3 hours

A man with a mental health problem was rescued after he got stuck under a fence for three hours in front of a police station in the central province of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.

The rescue team rushed to the incident spot in front of Ayutthaya Police Station after being notified that a man of about 20 years old was wedged under a wooden fence.

The rescuer, Wasan Thanyawigai, told Matichon that the man had been stuck since 10am. He and his team arrived at the scene at 1.30pm and spent about 30 minutes getting him out.

Wasan explained that the man’s body was stuck in the 15-centimetre gap between the fence and the floor. He lay with his face down on the floor. He looked spaced out but maintained a smile throughout his ordeal.

Wasan added that the man might have a mental health problem because he could not provide any information to the officers. No one knew why or how he put himself in that position.

According to Matichon, the rescue team and a police officer bought food and drink for him because he looked confused and exhausted from being in the sun for a long time.

The only information he shared with officers was his identity as a Shan, a resident of the Thailand-Myanmar border, and stated that his mother instructed him to obtain a Thai ID card.

He also proved to the officer that he was qualified to get citizenship by singing the Thai national anthem.

An Ayutthaya Police Station officer informed the media that the man was arrested in the morning for causing a disturbance at a temple.

He was brought to the station for rest but escaped from custody by climbing the fence. The police are now searching for his relatives and exploring options for his mental health treatment.