SATTAHIP, Thailand – A dramatic rescue unfolded when a group of Thai Navy personnel intervened to save a woman from attempting suicide on December 8. The woman, around 25 years old, had climbed over the railing of a pedestrian bridge on Sukhumvit Road, near the RTN Recruit Training Center. She was in a state of distress, crying and appearing to be ready to jump.
While stuck in traffic at a red light, Lieutenant Commander Jirasak Sakpan of the Navy Finance Department, along with Petty Officer First Class Montree Charoenrit of the Special Affairs Division and three naval cadets, noticed the woman’s desperate situation. Without hesitation, they sprang into action. Lieutenant Commander Jirasak and Petty Officer Montree quickly stopped the car, called the police, and contacted emergency services. Meanwhile, the three cadets—Dhanaithep Chusri, Samrit Kamwong, and Tachanucha Sonwanet—climbed the bridge to find an opportunity to intervene.
After several tense minutes, when the woman showed no signs of calming down and was still threatening to jump, Lieutenant Commander Jirasak decided to take immediate action. He distracted her long enough to signal the cadets to charge. They swiftly reached the woman, pulling her to safety just as she was about to jump. Despite the chaotic rescue, the woman remained distraught and in tears.
According to local residents, the woman had been in a heated argument with her foreign boyfriend over infidelity, which led her to take the drastic step of trying to end her life. Lieutenant Commander Jirasak expressed his relief and pride in saving the woman’s life, stating that despite the uncertainty of the moment, he felt it was necessary to act, as waiting for authorities could have been too late.
