PATTAYA, Thailand – A 41-year-old South Korean man caused a commotion on November 26 when he threatened to jump off an eight-story condominium in central Pattaya, wielding a fruit-peeling knife and scattering Thai banknotes from the balcony.
The man, identified as Mr. Seungwon Jeong, was found in a state of distress on the balcony of his room in a luxurious condominium on Soi Bua Khao. He shouted loudly, declaring his intent to leap from the building and warning others not to approach. He also threw Thai banknotes, totaling over 100,000 Baht, from the balcony, creating a spectacle that caught the attention of onlookers below.
Pattaya Police Station officers received a distressing report of the incident and swiftly responded, with Pattaya City’s disaster relief unit and the Sawang Boriboon Foundation’s rescue team collaborating with the Pattaya Tourist Police. Upon their arrival, they discovered Mr. Jeong still on the balcony, maintaining his threatening stance. Negotiations began, facilitated through a Korean interpreter, to convince him to open the door and descend to the lower levels of the condominium.
After an hour of tense negotiations, Mr. Jeong eventually agreed to re-enter his room. Subsequently, Pattaya Tourist Police escorted him to a local hospital for a medical examination. It was revealed that Mr. Jeong, who had been in Pattaya for just over a month, was suffering from severe stress due to being deceived by his girlfriend, who absconded with money intended for a business venture. Frustrated and distressed, he expressed fears of a recurrence of such incidents. Tourist Police are coordinating with his relatives in South Korea to address his situation and provide necessary support.
