Heartbreaking incident in Chai Nat as bystanders laugh and watch woman drown

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The tragic drowning of a 32 year old woman in Chai Nat province sparked outrage after a distressing video emerged of bystanders laughing and refusing to help.

 

The incident occurred on Tuesday, October 31, around 8.30pm in a 3-metre deep irrigation canal near Huay Ta See village, Wang Kai Thoe subdistrict, Hankha district.

 

The Chai Nat Ruamkatanyu Foundation volunteer divers spent over two hours searching the water before they discovered the body of the victim, Suratwadee. Suratwadee, a resident of Nern Kham subdistrict, Nern Kham district, Chai Nat province, was later handed over to her relatives for religious rites at Lahan Yai Charoen Si temple (Wat Huay Ta See).

 

The victim’s 52 year old mother, Surin broke her silence at 4pm yesterday. She expressed her despair over the video that showed her daughter drowning while onlookers stood by, laughing and making no attempt to save her. She questioned why the person filming the incident and the numerous bystanders did not intervene.

 

by Puntid Tantivangphaisal 

Photo courtesy of Sanook

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-02

 

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[Celsius]

Thai people so friendly and nice

[roo860]

Absolutely tragic, but then again maybe not one of them could swim, but no excuse for their behaviour. 

 

[nausea]

Not getting involved seems part of the culture here; also, the laughing may have been a cultural reaction to a bad situation. Haven't looked at the video so can't really judge. I do know many Farangs were shocked by smiling Thais when fleeing the Tsunami.

[Celsius]

36 minutes ago, nausea said:

Not getting involved seems part of the culture here; also, the laughing may have been a cultural reaction to a bad situation. Haven't looked at the video so can't really judge. I do know many Farangs were shocked by smiling Thais when fleeing the Tsunami.

 

Nauseating post

[1happykamper]

Tragic and disturbing on many levels. 

 

I think it's a criminal offense in America to not help in such situation.... 

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

The longer I stay in Thailand, the more I learn that Thailand is a Buddhist nation in name only. Of course, expecting any Thai to take responsibility for anything is a waste of time, even trying to save someone's life.

[crazykopite]

Recently I came across a motor bike accident so many Thais standing around doing nothing but taking videos within 10 minutes they were posted on social media there wasn’t a lot I could do accept give assistance whist waiting for the emergency services to me it’s human nature to go to the assistance of someone in distress sadly that’s doesn’t seem to be always the case in Thailand 

[4MyEgo]

RIP

 

If there is a real Karma, let it loose on those present, and see who laughs last.

 

Absolutely appalling behaviour, life has no value to these bozo's, now the mother has to live with this for the rest of her life.

[mfd101]

I have heard it said that Thais laugh in such situations because they don't know what to do.

 

Combine that with Buddhist pacifism and here's the result ...

[redwhiteandblue]

Thainess at its finest.

[kcpattaya]

They call this mass psychosis...
Nobody dares to jump first.
Can happen everywhere.  

[Terry Juhlin]

I had a Thai lady friend a few years back whose best friend committed suicide. My lady friend knew that her girl friend was going to commit suicide. I asked here why she didn’t she stop her? She replied that her friend “chose her fate”. I was so angry with her for not intervening, I told her that maybe it was her fate to stop her friend from taking her own life. She looked at me dumbfounded. The Thai woman that took her own life had two beautiful young kids. The woman told me that reason she took her was that her Farang boyfriend found someone new …

[spidermike007]

It is basic human nature to rescue someone in distress. So, what is up with these fools, who stood by while this woman drowned? 

 

From her mother:

What hurt her most was hearing someone say, “Let her drown. She’s seeking attention. Let her drown first, then call the rescue team.”

 

Who are these heartless creeps? Who raised these people? 

[Chongalulu]

The only counter to this is if you're not a good swimmer you are in significant danger trying to rescue a panicking drowning person. You should try to help if possible from the shore. I say this as a BSAC trained diver . I would have gone in despite advanced years as I would know what to do (grab her in something of a chokehold from behind) and I  am a strong swimmer. The average Thais swimming ability - not so much...

[Jackbenimble]

Thais deal with death very differently than westerners do.......they assume the dead are crossing over to a better place and a new life which is something to celebrate whereas westerners consider it a tragic end to life and it's highly upsetting for us. Thai emergency services even take selfies with the dead.

It's neither wrong or right.........it's just different. 

Being in a position to help someone to NOT die and not doing it - choosing instead to film them drowning - is not a Thai thing, it's something that happens now all over the world and I blame social media. Our "click" driven society have lost touch with reality. 

[Bangkok Barry]

6 minutes ago, kcpattaya said:

Can happen everywhere. 

Let us know where else you've read of people laughing as someone drowns. Thanks.

[biggles45]

'Buddhist pacifism' 

This is a myth, every day there are reports of road rage with weapons, security ganging up on customers etc. Cause a Thai to believe he has lost face and see how passive he is. It's just PR for the tourist industry

[Bangkok Barry]

2 minutes ago, Jackbenimble said:

Being in a position to help someone to NOT die and not doing it - choosing instead to film them drowning - is not a Thai thing, it's something that happens now all over the world and I blame social media. Our "click" driven society have lost touch with reality. 

See my post above.

[paddypower]

30 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

The longer I stay in Thailand, the more I learn that Thailand is a Buddhist nation in name only. Of course, expecting any Thai to take responsibility for anything is a waste of time, even trying to save someone's life.

 

First,  RIP to the deceased and it must be heart breaking for the mother to watch the video. why in God's name (or Buddha's for that matter) do they film stuff like this and post it. ? the only way to consider this, is that we're living in SE Asia, yet we still bring our values, our login, our way of thinking with us - and are horrified by news like this. 

[Jackbenimble]

1 minute ago, biggles45 said:

'Buddhist pacifism' 

This is a myth, every day there are reports of road rage with weapons, security ganging up on customers etc. Cause a Thai to believe he has lost face and see how passive he is. It's just PR for the tourist industry

 

I'd wager its the tourists that you mention that cause these eruptions of anger......

[Irish star]

15 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

I have heard it said that Thais laugh in such situations because they don't know what to do.

 

Combine that with Buddhist pacifism and here's the result ...

Lottery Buddhist 

[paddypower]

12 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

It is basic human nature to rescue someone in distress. So, what is up with these fools, who stood by while this woman drowned? 

 

From her mother:

What hurt her most was hearing someone say, “Let her drown. She’s seeking attention. Let her drown first, then call the rescue team.”

 

Who are these heartless creeps? Who raised these people? 

i didn't know that part of the news. even after 28 years living here, that blows me away. 

[ujayujay]

Low lives, empathy zero😝

[itsari]

First reaction by humans in this modern world  is to grab the phone and take a video instead of going to assist a person in need of help .

[Aviatorhi]

49 minutes ago, 1happykamper said:

Tragic and disturbing on many levels. 

 

I think it's a criminal offense in America to not help in such situation.... 

 

 

You think wrong ("Seinfeld" isn't a documentary) - though laughing would have many social repercussions. 

[leither69]

33 minutes ago, kcpattaya said:

They call this mass psychosis...
Nobody dares to jump first.
Can happen everywhere.  

Nonsense 

[FruitPudding]

1 hour ago, nausea said:

Not getting involved seems part of the culture here; also, the laughing may have been a cultural reaction to a bad situation. Haven't looked at the video so can't really judge. I do know many Farangs were shocked by smiling Thais when fleeing the Tsunami.

 

They literally said,  "Let her drown" as they were laughing.

 

How do you explain that?

[Bangkok Barry]

22 minutes ago, paddypower said:

the only way to consider this, is that we're living in SE Asia, yet we still bring our values, our login, our way of thinking with us - and are horrified by news like this. 

 

Yes. I think I prefer our values.

[wwest5829]

52 minutes ago, 1happykamper said:

Tragic and disturbing on many levels. 

 

I think it's a criminal offense in America to not help in such situation.... 

 

 

But then there is also, “Good Samaritan” law protecting someone offering assistance to be held harmless of liability.