British tourist jumps off pier in Pattaya, mental health issues suspected

Pattaya Police suspect that a British tourist who jumped off a pier on Saturday had mental health issues. The man, who was reported to be about 45 years old, suddenly jumped into the sea off Bali Hai Pier.

When rescuers tried to help the man, he became aggressive and refused their efforts. The man then tried to hide behind the pier’s foundation post, but the rescuers managed to lasso him with a rope. It took the rescuers over an hour to lift him out of the water and onto a boat.

But the struggle wasn’t over yet. The man fought with rescuers and police as they were transferring him to Pattaya Police Station, The Pattaya News reported.

It was not known what actions would be taken against the man, or if he would be taken to a psychiatric hospital.

Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches thanked everyone involved for helping the man. He said the incident proved how effective Pattaya’s water security measures were.

In September, it was reported that Thailand was increasingly facing mental health issues. The number of cases of major depressive disorders (MDD) was reported to be rising.

The director-general of the country’s Mental Health Department said that Thailand’s number of MDD cases shot up from 30,247 in 2020 to 33,891 cases in 2021. She noted that the uptick in cases overlapped with the Covid-19 pandemic, as has been the case across the globe.

The director-general, Dr Amporn Benjaponpitak, said that more psychiatric wards should be opened in state hospitals. There were 20 psychiatric hospitals in the country. But luckily, she noted that there were enough trained psychiatrists and medics to treat the number of patients.

After the recent incident with the British tourist in Pattaya, the man will hopefully be able to get the help he needs.

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.