Thai man in orange underwear vanishes after suicide attempt
Rescuers in the central province of Ayutthaya are searching for a Thai man in orange underwear after an attempted suicide at the Pasak River. The half-naked man then fled the scene on a motorcycle and disappeared.
Siam Junkathappa, a member of the Phutthai Sawan Rescue Foundation, revealed to Channel 7 that the team received a notification about a suicide attempt at around 2.30pm yesterday, September 24. A motorist informed the rescuers that a man, around 50 years old and wearing only orange underwear, attempted to jump off Pridi Bridge.
According to the motorist, the man parked his motorcycle in the middle of the bridge above the Pasak River and was seen talking to himself, raising concerns about his well-being.
Rescuers rushed to the scene and found the man, as reported, talking to himself. Siam approached him to engage in conversation and tried to persuade him to abandon his suicide attempt.
However, the man spoke incoherently and then told the rescue team not to worry.
“Don’t be afraid of me. Don’t worry about the suicide. I’m the son of a police sergeant major. I have a 400-square-metre plot of land in Ang Thong province worth over 10 million baht. I also own another 400-square-metre plot near Chai Mongkhon Temple. I live alone with my dog.”
Siam said that after delivering his message, the man immediately got on his motorcycle and rode off. He was last seen heading towards the city centre of Ayutthaya, continuing to Rojjana Road, before disappearing.
The rescue team continued searching for him due to concerns over his mental health and safety. There have been no further updates from the rescuers regarding the man.
In a related incident last year, police in Chachoengsao province, near Bangkok, arrested a Thai man for riding a motorcycle naked around a hotel in the area. Officers did not disclose the motive behind his actions or whether he was suffering from a mental illness or under the influence of drugs.
If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. Seek help.
