Volunteer divers stunned to find second body in pickup driven off Phuket bridge
Volunteer divers searching for a pickup truck in a suspected suicide of a Thai man at the Sarasin Bridge in Phuket today, November 18, found two bodies inside the vehicle, not just one as was initially anticipated.
Officers from Tha Chatchai Police Station, together with rescuers from the Kusol Dham Foundation, were called to Sarasin Bridge in Thalang, Phuket, after receiving a report of a suspected suicide from a fisherman, Nattawut Wongnui.
Nattawut told police he saw a black Toyota Vigo drive off the bridge and into the water at around 3am. He said the driver had been walking around the area beforehand, leading him to believe the man intended to take his own life.
Divers later located the pickup about 20 metres underwater. Due to strong currents, the entire vehicle could not be lifted immediately, so officials focused on removing the driver first.
The driver was subsequently identified as 49 year old Treephat Rattanapong. He was found in the driver’s seat with his seatbelt fastened. He was also holding a wooden statue of Guan Yin, the highly revered Bodhisattva of compassion and mercy in East Asian Buddhism
A second body was found in the back seat. Police believe the woman may have been Treephat’s girlfriend, though her identity has not yet been released.
Police suspect the case may involve a joint suicide. Concrete barriers placed at the end of the bridge had been moved, and officers believe the couple may have shifted them to allow the vehicle to pass.
Relatives were contacted later in the afternoon. Family members said the pair had left their home in Surat Thani around midnight. The woman reportedly sent a farewell message to her family via Facebook Messenger before contact was lost.
Both families said they were unaware of any motive behind the suspected suicide. An investigation is ongoing to determine the reasons behind the couple’s tragic final decision.
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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