An elderly fisherman yesterday morning fell into an automatic car park elevator shaft in Pattaya, suffering serious injuries. The man cited his impaired vision from recent surgery as the reason for not seeing the shaft opening.
At 7.06am yesterday, July 6, the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit responded to an emergency call at the automatic car park of Bali Hai Pier. Rescue volunteers arrived to find 66 year old Worapong Taengtong lying in the shaft about 5 metres below ground level.
Worapong had a severe fracture in his right leg and a deep cut above his right eyebrow. Rescue workers administered first aid and extracted him from the shaft before taking him to a nearby hospital.
A fishing rod was also recovered at the scene. Worapong explained he was attempting to reach the beach by passing through the car park.
Pattaya News reported that due to impaired vision from recent cataract surgery, he did not see the shaft opening and accidentally fell.
After regaining composure, Worapong called for help. Police are investigating the incident to assess and improve safety measures at the facility.
In a similar accident in Pattaya, a Burmese teenager was rescued after getting trapped in a condominium lift during a blackout.
Shortly after midnight on July 2, Gopal Dhal, a 19 year old Burmese national, was stuck inside an elevator on the fourth floor when a sudden power cut plunged the building into darkness.
The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Centre received a distress call at 12.16am and dispatched a team to the scene. Rescue workers located Gopal and rescued him nearly an hour later, who was uninjured.
Similarly to Gopal, heavy rain in Pattaya last year on September 8 left a 33 year old man trapped in an elevator for almost two hours during a blackout.
Korn Kitjamorn was stuck inside a lift at an apartment on Soi Krom Thidin 4 in Pattaya. Neighbours heard his calls for help after the power outage halted the lift mid-journey and promptly alerted rescue workers.
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