Second body found in Phuket’s Sarasin bridge suicide identified
A woman from Surat Thani died alongside her partner after their pickup plunged off Sarasin Bridge in Phuket, prompting an urgent recovery and investigation.
The woman, identified as 39 year old Kan from Surat Thani province, South Thailand, has become the focus of a heartbreaking case after she and her partner were found dead when their pickup truck plunged off Sarasin Bridge. Rescue teams recovered the submerged vehicle as relatives gathered in sorrow.
The woman, named Kan, was travelling with 49 year old Treephat Rattanapong, also from Surat Thani, when their black four‑door pickup crashed through the bridge’s railing late on Tuesday, November 18. At 2pm the following day, rescue workers from Kusontham Phuket, Sarasin volunteers and Phang Nga teams began a complex recovery operation. The truck was located approximately 25 metres underwater.
Divers tied ropes to the submerged vehicle before officials used a hot‑air lifting device and three boats to tow it ashore. Witnesses, including Kan’s grieving relatives, watched as the battered pickup surfaced: its front crushed, windscreen destroyed, and airbags deployed. Personal belongings were scattered inside, including the broken hand of a carved wooden Guan Yin statue.
Kan’s body, along with Treephat’s, was taken to Khok Kloi Hospital for autopsy. Relatives have already contacted the hospital to bring her home to Surat Thani for funeral rites. Officers from Khok Kloi Police Station say early enquiries suggest personal stress involving work, family, and relationship issues may have contributed to the tragedy.
Sergeant Thanapon Iamboonko, a rescue volunteer, said the incident has revived an infamous Sarasin Bridge story dating back to 1973, according to Channel 7 News.
“This is the second couple to end their lives in the same way. The public must understand that love issues need communication and support. We don’t want a third legend.”
He urged families and loved ones to look out for one another and emphasised that anyone struggling with emotional distress should seek help rather than view the bridge as a symbolic destination for final acts.
Police reported that important documents and photos were recovered from the truck, showing Kan and Tree had recently visited various temples to make merit. Officers believe relationship problems and emotional strain may have been factors.
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.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
