A fishmonger was wet, but still breathing when his truck plunged into the sea after the Bang Saray fishing pier collapsed.
The already damaged Fishing Club Fish Pier fell through between parallel concrete bridges. The collapse wasn’t total; however, the vehicle slid slowly into the ocean.
Driver Somrak Kaewpong, 47, was rescued with the help of a crane truck in an exercise that took more than an hour.
Somsak said he was driving onto the pier but did not see a sign warning of the bridge damage. When he drove over the weakened section, it collapsed.
It took about an hour to lift Somrak Kaewpong’s vehicle after the bridge collapsed under its weight.
Bang Saray village chief Chin Kaewsang said the pier is more than 30 years old and was last repaired in 2008. Subsequent storms have damaged part of the pier and, unable to make repairs, fishermen simply had put up warning signs.
Sattahip District officials said they will now put in a budget request for funds to repair the pier.
