Thai man dies in suspected suicide after driving pickup off bridge in Phuket
A Thai man died after driving his pickup off the Sarasin Bridge into the sea in Phuket early this morning, November 18, in what police believe was a suicide.
At around 3am, 30 year old fisherman Nattawut Wongnui called officers at Tha Chatchai Police Station to report that a pickup travelling at high speed had crashed through the bridge barrier and vanished into the water. Nattawut said he had arrived to set up his fishing equipment moments before witnessing the incident.
He told police the vehicle appeared to be a black Toyota Vigo, but said he could not see the registration plate. He added that the driver had parked moments earlier, stepped out of the vehicle and walked around as if checking the area, leading him to believe the man may have intended to take his own life.
The crash took place on Sarasin Bridge, the first bridge to link Phang Nga and Phuket. The 660‑metre structure connects Ban Tha Chat Chai in Phang Nga to Mai Khao in Phuket.
Rescuers from the Kusol Dham Rescue Foundation launched a search operation and retrieved the submerged pickup at around 8.20am today.
The driver was found still strapped into the seat with the seat belt fastened. His identity and the motive behind the incident remain under investigation.
Sarasin Bridge has been the site of several suicide cases in the past. In August, a Thai man jumped from the bridge into the sea following intense online backlash after he was accused of leaking explicit images of a female customer while working at a phone repair shop in Phuket.
The scandal went viral, with the man facing public condemnation and potential legal consequences.
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.
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