I was driving from Jomtien to Pattaya on second road to get something to eat and when I started going into Pattaya after the rains this afternoon the road was flooded. Luckily, I was able to turn right back under the overpass and head back to Jomitien. Right after I make the turn in front of the little hotel on the left hand side of the road I spot a man 75 years old or so walking in the rain out of the corner of my eye.

 

I think to myself, why is this guy walking in such a hard rain and then he drops instantly 5 feet into an open water drain for the city's water drainage. I park the car, wad through the water, and help pull him out. The water was above his waist and he was holding his arms almost straight up and he did a lot of the work getting himself out. 

 

I looked around, and saw a 1 meter by 1 meter drain cover that was about 4” thick with concrete that had been moved. I have no idea if the water was strong enough to move it, or if it was moved by a person. I put him in the car and his ribs were killing him, I thought they were broken. But, I could not convince him to go to the hospital and I dropped him off at his hotel room. He was in shock as you might expect, what a terrible experience for anybody. WOW, Unreal!

yes very frightening as you don't know whats below as i always worry about exposed sharp rebar. 

He's very luck in one sense that you happened to be driving past.    And what's he doing out walking in heavy rain. 

Wonder why he wouldn't go to hospital .....  ?   x-rays cost 100bht ..

Thank goodness you had to around, and you were able to stop and render assistance to him.

Ouch, good job you were there.

 

The water force is easily enough to dislodge those concrete covers.

 

When we were in India my Indian friends warned us never to cross a flooded road, the holes under those covers were a lot more than waist deep, fall in and you'd never be seen again.

Well done for going above and beyond to help another human being.

 

I bet you were happy you helped him?

You have forgotten to take some pictures and give them to the media... ????

1 minute ago, Mickeymaus said:

You have forgotten to take some pictures and give them to the media... ????

Would that not tarnish the image of Pattaya as the new Miami of the east ????

(they tried the Riviera)  already))

those drains are deadly as the power of the water pushing up can and does move them. I was heading to Pattaya on my motorbike earlier and as the water was getting deeper and deeper decided to turn back

35 minutes ago, johng said:

Would that not tarnish the image of Pattaya as the new Miami of the east ????

(they tried the Riviera)  already))

He should have recorded a video interview with this poor fellow before he pulled him out of the hole. 

Could it be that you have just met Noah checking the situation of the deluge before he launches his ark? just spit balling here guys...

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

yes very frightening as you don't know whats below as i always worry about exposed sharp rebar. 

He's very luck in one sense that you happened to be driving past.    And what's he doing out walking in heavy rain. 

Wonder why he wouldn't go to hospital .....  ?   x-rays cost 100bht ..

An x-ray at Bangkok Pattaya would cost a lot more than 100bt

Good move Bro.

An ominous warning that I shall definitely heed.

13 hours ago, fulhamster said:

An x-ray at Bangkok Pattaya would cost a lot more than 100bt

It would require an interview with a doctor first......

15 hours ago, steven100 said:

yes very frightening as you don't know whats below as i always worry about exposed sharp rebar. 

He's very luck in one sense that you happened to be driving past.    And what's he doing out walking in heavy rain. 

Wonder why he wouldn't go to hospital .....  ?   x-rays cost 100bht ..

Might be that if a farang drop him at hospital  , the bill could go up ....not uncommon to happen , as once i brought a girl to pharmacy and after the girl told me she usual get  smaller amount of medication given to her for same case and a 100+ baht bill ,now it was 900bht ..... farang connection tax probably....????

 

 

15 hours ago, Mickeymaus said:

You have forgotten to take some pictures and give them to the media... ????

At least a picture of him pointing at the hole.

 

What a great thing to do.  Lots of people just pass by.

Yes, these heavy rains are causing havoc. 

I was at the lights 3rd Rd and soi 17 yesterday afternoon, I was behind an elderly lady on a zoomer, as we approached Soi 17 her front wheel locked up, she slid for a few metres. I parked my pcx behind her and helped her up. A Thai guy pushed her zoomer to the side of the road, she was OK, just a little shook up. 

15 hours ago, steven100 said:

yes very frightening as you don't know whats below as i always worry about exposed sharp rebar. 

He's very luck in one sense that you happened to be driving past.    And what's he doing out walking in heavy rain. 

Wonder why he wouldn't go to hospital .....  ?   x-rays cost 100bht ..

But not the broken ribs....

29 minutes ago, tonray said:

Absolutely..

I recall seeing water under high pressure rising over a foot into the air from water drainage system on Soi Siam CC Rd in the past, so yes, it will lift covers. 

16 hours ago, billaaa777 said:

But, I could not convince him to go to the hospital and I dropped him off at his hotel room.

You did well helping out a fellow human, the sad reality of all of this is that he probably didn't have insurance cover due to his age and probably thought that he couldn't afford the hospital, e.g. check up, x-rays, staying for a few nights for observation, medications, follow ups.

 

Hope he's healing better than I would expect, sad really.

I think the city has people remove some of the drain covers when it floods because some of them get clogged with garbage and don't allow the water to drain properly.  It could also be some nearby shop owners that do it.

55 minutes ago, david555 said:

Might be that if a farang drop him at hospital  , the bill could go up ....not uncommon to happen , as once i brought a girl to pharmacy and after the girl told me she usual get  smaller amount of medication given to her for same case and a 100+ baht bill ,now it was 900bht ..... farang connection tax probably....????

 

 

So true. About 13 years ago, shortly after I met my now wife, she needed some medication, so we went to a 'respected' hospital in CM. Her medication, a small tube of cream, came to 1,000 Baht. 13 years ago, when the baht was higher, it was not too much of a problem, even though my initial thought was "you know where you can ram it.

About 2 weeks later, the cream was finished. By chance, I went to a local pharmacy, nothing special.

Identical cream, same manufacturer - 30 Baht!

I never went to that hospital again. Every time I pass it, my words of 13 years ago, echo in my mind and "Ram it!"

16 hours ago, johng said:

Would that not tarnish the image of Pattaya as the new Miami of the east ????

(they tried the Riviera)  already))

With that recent building collapse in Florida, your pic appears ominous.

 

 

16 hours ago, Mickeymaus said:

You have forgotten to take some pictures and give them to the media... ????

The drain cover might have filed a defamation suit, better not to tempt fate

16 hours ago, Mickeymaus said:

You have forgotten to take some pictures and give them to the media... ????

Some would take pictures and leave the poor man where he is unfortunately......

1 minute ago, jomtienisgood said:

Some would take pictures and leave the poor man where he is unfortunately......

So true, beggars belief..............

you better check on that guy today just to make sure he's still alive

I don't understand...did he not see the warning tree branch sticking up...........

 

Wow, what a story. We live in the suburbs of Seattle and I was out for a Sunday morning run and someone (druggies?) took all of the large storm drain covers for about a mile stretch. Called 911 to report, they asked if I was okay. If it was any darker, someone could have fallen in. 

 

Always good to watch where you walk! Particularly in Thailand or where you least expect it!

Well done for helping this guy out (pun not intended) Was it a Thai or Falang refusing to go to hospital ?