Coronavirus hardship drives Pattaya man up a pole

An angry, drunk boat captain climbed up a Pattaya utility pole to protest being denied government coronavirus compensation.

Police and paramedics arrived at the intersection of Soi Chaloemphrakiat 9 in front of Nong Or Temple May 12 to find that, despite being very inebriated, Paiboon Wisedsri, 59, had managed to climb up a 10-meter-tall electrical post.

The unemployed boat captain shouted that he had applied for the government’s 5,000-baht monthly stipend for casual workers, but was denied. So he decided to get drunk. Later he climbed up the pole to protest.

Police called in relatives who finally talked some sense into the man, who came down without injury.