Community Man Attempts Suicide on Bangkok Overpass After Being Denied Access to See His Child

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of NBT

 

A 29-year-old man attempted to take his own life by climbing onto a pedestrian overpass along Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in Bangkok on the evening of 20 June, reportedly distraught over being denied contact with his child by his wife.

 

At around 20:00, Pol. Lt. Col. Kachakorn Saisa-sawat, Deputy Inspector of Phahonyothin Police Station, received reports of a man preparing to jump from the overpass near Soi Vibhavadi Rangsit 42, adjacent to Wat Samian Nari and the Red Line electric train station.

 

Emergency responders from Vibhavadi Traffic Police, Lat Yao Fire and Rescue Station, Phaya Thai Fire Station and volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation were dispatched to the scene.

 

The man, later identified as Mr. Nattawut, was found perched dangerously on the steel frame in the centre of the overpass structure, approximately seven metres above the road. He was wearing a yellow shirt and grey shorts and appeared emotionally distressed as he threatened to jump into oncoming traffic.

 

Police partially closed the inbound side of Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, reducing traffic to one lane on the leftmost side and placed an inflatable safety cushion on the road below. For over 40 minutes, authorities and bystanders attempted to persuade the man to come down safely. A video call was placed to his wife in an effort to calm him, but Mr. Nattawut refused to communicate.

 

Eventually, a coordinated effort by emergency services allowed them to safely subdue the man before he could jump. He shouted angrily at officers during the intervention and was taken to Phahonyothin Police Station to calm down and receive support.

 

Preliminary investigations revealed that Mr. Nattawut works with his father as a contractor on a roadside drainage construction project near the scene. He had been staying at a nearby hotel. His actions are believed to have stemmed from emotional distress after being repeatedly refused permission by his wife to see their child.

 

Authorities have not confirmed whether legal or psychological assistance will be arranged for the man but emphasised the importance of mental health support in such cases.

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from NBT 2025-06-22

 

 

[richard_smith237]

Tragic...   

 

In a country where so many fathers are absent and the social struggles that leaves behind, here we have the opposite - though we don't know complete story or why the Mother prevented access to the child, unless there is a medical or legal reason, then her actions are wrong.

[KhunLA]

Denied access to kid ... couldn't be that he's a bit unstable 

 

He can pretty much scratch ever seeing the kid now, hopefully.  Till he is deemed not a danger to himself or anyone else.