Escalator Incident in Nakhon Si Thammarat: Pupil’s Foot Trapped in Shopping Mall

Pictured courtesy of ThaiRath

A student suffered injuries after his right foot was trapped in an escalator at a major shopping centre in Nakhon Si Thammarat on the evening of 14 June. The incident occurred at around 19:00 on the third floor of Sahathai Plaza, located on Sriprach Road in the city centre.

Local police from the Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat Police Station, along with rescue volunteers from the Tai Tek Tung Foundation, were called to the scene and found the 12-year-old boy with his foot caught in the metal teeth of the escalator step. He was wearing standard canvas school shoes at the time.

Rescue workers and the mall’s maintenance team used specialised cutting tools to carefully free the boy’s foot, a process that took considerable time due to the complexity of the entrapment. After being extricated, the boy was given first aid at the scene before being rushed to Nakhon Hospital.

Initial reports indicate that the boy had come to the mall to visit his mother, who works there. While ascending from the third to the fourth floor to meet her, the front of his right foot reportedly slipped and became lodged in the edge of the escalator.

Fortunately, the escalator’s built-in safety mechanism activated automatically, halting its movement when it detected an obstruction. While this may have prevented further damage, the strength of the machinery still caused injuries, including several fractured toe bones and torn ligaments. Medical staff later confirmed that surgery would be required to assess and repair the damage.

The boy’s canvas school shoes offered a little protection. Authorities have warned parents and children to exercise caution when using escalators and to remain aware of safety risks.

  Adapted by Asean Now from ThaiRath 2025-06-16