Pattaya police were alerted when bystanders saw a man standing outside the 3rd floor balcony of the First Pacific Hotel on Pattaya Central Road on May 31, apparently threatening to jump off.
Pattaya City dispatched a cherry picker to the scene immediately where rescue workers climbed up to try to rescue the distraught man who was hanging onto the railing of the third-floor balcony, exhibiting erratic behavior and incoherent speech. As the rescuers approached, he climbed back into the balcony.
The tour guide identified the man as a Chinese national named Li Mingming, who had disappeared from the group earlier that afternoon and later reappeared at the hotel, intoxicated and complaining that his phone had been stolen during a taxi ride.
The situation grew increasingly tense, because he refused to come down from the building until his phone was returned to him. Pattaya tourist police mobilized a search for the elusive taxi. After an arduous effort, they successfully located the taxi that brought Li back to the hotel. The taxi driver was himself baffled by the unfolding situation. He said that he was hired to transport the Chinese man to the hotel, but arrival, Li inexplicably climbed out of the taxi window and must have dropped his phone in the process.
With the phone retrieved, Li was ready to negotiate, eventually agreeing to come down from the building. Police immediately took charge, to ensure his emotional stability before initiating necessary legal procedures.
