Pattaya heroics: Thai man saves drowning Aussie

A Thai man performed heroics to save an Australian man from drowning in the Pattaya sea but, in the aftermath, the foreigner remains in a critical condition.

Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation rescuers were notified about the drowning incident near Soi Jomtien 11 in Pattaya at about 3.15am today, April 1. Upon arrival, rescuers found a group of Thais and foreigners gathered at the scene watching the rescue operation.

A Thai man, 48 year old Kittichai, managed to pull the 58 year old Australian man, Loy Malcolm Ayles, out of the water. The rescuers gave the foreigner first aid and CPR before taking him to hospital.

The Ayles’ 45 year old Thai wife, Panadda, suspects the incident was related to cannabis use. Panadda revealed that her husband smoked two ganja joints and told her that he was going jogging on the beach.

However, it turned out that the man ran deeper and deeper into the sea before disappearing from her sight. She immediately called for help and reported the matter to the rescue foundation.

Kittichai told the media that he saw a foreign man struggling in the sea and heard Panadda calling for help. Without thinking, he immediately jumped into the sea and managed to bring Ayles safely to shore.

The motive for making Ayles run into the sea had not yet been concluded. Channel 3 reports that he is in a critical condition and unconscious. He is being closely monitored by doctors at Bang Lamung Hospital.

A similar incident was reported in January this year when a Russian man jumped into the sea near Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya at around 10.50pm. Fortunately, the staff on the yacht noticed and managed to save the foreigner.

Police later arrived at the scene to investigate the motive for the jump. The discovery of a plastic bag of cannabis in the man’s shorts pocket led police to suspect he had consumed an excessive amount of ganja and was high.