Nonthaburi monk rescued after wheelchair falls into canal
Mobility aid badly damaged, monk struggles to buy new one
A heroic rescue took place in Nonthaburi province after a one-legged monk was left stranded in a roadside canal when his electric wheelchair tipped over during his morning alms round.
The incident, which occurred near Wat Masong school in Thaweewattana subdistrict, sparked widespread sympathy after it was revealed that the 57 year old, Phra Vichai Saetang, has been a dedicated monk for 17 years, despite losing his left leg to diabetes.
Phra Vichai was out on his morning alms round when disaster struck. Navigating his electric wheelchair, he was carefully keeping a safe distance from the busy traffic when his wheelchair suddenly slipped off the edge of the road near the school.
The unbalanced chair toppled into a nearby canal, leaving him stranded in the water.
Fortunately, Phra Vichai wasn’t alone. A group of students and bystanders nearby rushed to his aid, quickly pulling him from the water and ensuring he was safely returned to the temple.
“I tried to keep well clear of the traffic, but my wheel slipped,” he explained after the ordeal. “I was lucky there were people around to help me.”
Once safely back at Wat Masong, Phra Vichai was able to bathe and change, but the incident had left him with minor injuries, including abrasions to his forehead, legs, and knees.
The Sai Noi Foundation later arranged for him to be taken to Sai Noi Hospital for a medical check-up, where he was thankfully cleared of any serious injuries.
However, the monk’s electric wheelchair, which was his main form of mobility, was badly damaged after being submerged in the canal.
With his wheelchair now beyond repair, Phra Vichai has been forced to rely on a smaller, manual wheelchair borrowed from another monk. Unfortunately, this wheelchair is not well suited to his larger build, making daily movement difficult, reported Bangkok Post.
Phra Vichai shared that the cost of replacing his electric wheelchair is a significant burden. A second-hand one typically costs around 12,000 baht, while a new model can exceed 30,000 baht.
This unexpected setback has left the monk, known for his dedication to his community, facing an uphill struggle to regain his independence.
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