PATTAYA, Thailand – A potentially tragic situation was averted on March 5 when a Russian tourist threatened to commit suicide by jumping from the eighth floor of the Arcadia Beach Resort Condominium on Soi Thappraya 9 in Jomtien.
Responding swiftly to the distress call, officers from the Pattaya Tourist Police, Pattaya City Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, and Pattaya City Social Welfare and Development Office raced to the scene. There, they found a visibly distraught 31-year-old Russian national, Artem Bykov, perched precariously on the rooftop’s edge.
Efforts to prevent the tragedy ensued as authorities positioned a life-saving inflatable cushion beneath the balcony and initiated communication with Bykov. Despite their best efforts, the standoff persisted for over an hour until the arrival of a Russian-speaking interpreter, who played a crucial role in facilitating communication.
Through translation, Bykov revealed that he had been accused by his wife of stealing money, which led to a domestic dispute that left him overwhelmed and contemplating suicide. Negotiations continued for nearly two hours until another Russian national volunteered to join the conversation, providing authorities with an opportunity to intervene.
Seizing the moment, authorities swiftly moved in to retrieve Bykov from the edge, bringing him to safety. Now under police custody, Artem Bykov will undergo further investigation and receive necessary assistance.
