A 25-year-old woman from Khon Kaen was left critically injured after falling from the viewpoint at Pattaya’s Big Buddha Hill on Sunday afternoon, with witnesses telling police they saw her climb over a safety barrier before dropping around 10 metres.

Emergency volunteers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Centre were called to the scene at Wat Phra Yai, at 2.05pm on 26 July.

Rescuers found large numbers of visitors gathered at the popular viewpoint, looking down at the incident. The injured woman, identified as Nuntiyaporn Thongsong, 25, had fallen approximately 10 metres onto the ground below. She suffered a serious head wound, a broken right arm and a fractured left leg.

Rescue workers provided first aid before transferring her urgently to hospital for specialist treatment.

Witnesses describe moments before the fall

One witness, 34-year-old Wasulita Sombunpakorn, told rescuers she had been visiting the viewpoint with her family when she noticed the woman standing near the edge.

According to Wasulita, the woman climbed over the protective railing before dropping to the ground below. She said she immediately covered her young child’s eyes to prevent the child witnessing the incident.

A second witness told authorities the same woman had been seen at the viewpoint in the early hours of the morning. The witness said she appeared to be sitting alone, staring into the distance as though deep in thought before lying down for a period.

When news spread later that someone had fallen from the viewpoint, the witness rushed over and recognised her as the same person.

Investigation continues

Police said the cause of the fall has not yet been established. Their initial assessment is that it may have been an act of self-harm, but officers stressed that the circumstances will only become clearer once the injured woman has recovered sufficiently to be interviewed.

Wat Phra Yai, home to Pattaya’s famous Big Buddha temple and panoramic viewing area, is one of the city’s best-known attractions, drawing both Thai and international visitors throughout the year.

If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai) or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress or depression. Seek help.

Pictures courtesy of Chonburi News

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27 July 2026

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4 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

One witness, 34-year-old Wasulita Sombunpakorn, told rescuers she had been visiting the viewpoint with her family when she noticed the woman standing near the edge.

Yep, incompetent person standing near the edge, falls down, now thousands of baht to be spent fencing the edges to stop stupid people from falling

i was wondering which viewpoint that was

2 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Yep, incompetent person standing near the edge, falls down, now thousands of baht to be spent fencing the edges to stop stupid people from falling

Incompetent person?

Maybe next time a child .?

8 minutes ago, Jim Blue said:

Incompetent person?

Maybe next time a child .?

Sure. Ever hear of parental supervision? To date, how many children have died or been seriously injured at this location? Are you aware of any? There is already a warning rail.

2 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Yep, incompetent person standing near the edge, falls down, now thousands of baht to be spent fencing the edges to stop stupid people from falling

She did not "fall" down.

The woman climbed over the protective railing before dropping to the ground below.

I will not be surprised if she was posing for a selfie.

33 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

I will not be surprised if she was posing for a selfie.

Unlikely, potential suicide attempt or at least a cry for help

4 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Yep, incompetent person standing near the edge, falls down, now thousands of baht to be spent fencing the edges to stop stupid people from falling

Stop jumping to stupid conclusions when you don't know the facts.

If read the report properly. She was sitting there for sometime before it happened.

And she might have been thinking about suicide and eventually might have been the case.

Either way very sad.

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Unlikely, potential suicide attempt or at least a cry for help

I agree that the fact that she had crossed over before and looked, then had a nap, tells me she was looking at it for a reason. None of the witnesses say she had a camera, so that rules out a selfie. This was a bad attempt to end her pain and suffering or preempt something embarrassing to her name.

4 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Sure. Ever hear of parental supervision? To date, how many children have died or been seriously injured at this location? Are you aware of any? There is already a warning rail.

She did not "fall" down.

The woman climbed over the protective railing before dropping to the ground below.

I will not be surprised if she was posing for a selfie.

Surprise - "According to Wasulita, the woman climbed over the protective railing before dropping to the ground below." Are you saying she took a selfie as she fell through the air because the WITNESS would have observed woman taking a selfie BEFORE fall and no mention from witness.

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Unlikely, potential suicide attempt or at least a cry for help

I agree.It’s not just Brits with mental health problems.

Depression is an awful disease,hope it was a cry for help.

6 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Yep, incompetent person standing near the edge, falls down, now thousands of baht to be spent fencing the edges to stop stupid people from falling

The article stated that she climbed over the fence.

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

Surprise - "According to Wasulita, the woman climbed over the protective railing before dropping to the ground below." Are you saying she took a selfie as she fell through the air because the WITNESS would have observed woman taking a selfie BEFORE fall and no mention from witness.

People often climb over protective barriers to take a photo. They lose situational awareness and subsequently fall, or trip. Because a "witness" did not see the selfie, does not mean that it did not occur. Maybe it wasn't a selfie. I never said it was, but the fact is that the woman climbed over the protective barrier. Why do you think she did that? Was she picking flowers? Planning to soar like Icharus?

8 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

... with witnesses telling police they saw her climb over a safety barrier before dropping around 10 metres.

Sorry, but who in their right mind does that unless mentally ill or on recreational pharmaceuticals? Darwin Awards.

13 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Yep, incompetent person standing near the edge, falls down, now thousands of baht to be spent fencing the edges to stop stupid people from falling

"...witnesses telling police they saw her climb over a safety barrier before dropping around 10 metres".

11 hours ago, Jim Blue said:

Incompetent person?

Maybe next time a child .?

There are safety barriers installed that prevent both incompetent people and children falling unless they climb over the barriers.

8 hours ago, Deerculler said:

Stop jumping to stupid conclusions when you don't know the facts.

If read the report properly. She was sitting there for sometime before it happened.

And she might have been thinking about suicide and eventually might have been the case

To quote your own words, stop jumping to stupid conclusions!

8 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

I agree that the fact that she had crossed over before and looked, then had a nap

Those are not facts, neither of them were reported in the OP.

8 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

None of the witnesses say she had a camera

Highly unlikely that she didn't have a phone.

14 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Highly unlikely that she didn't have a phone.

I did not say she didn't have a phone, but there was no one who saw her taking pictures. Also if whe was going to do herself she may have left it at home

14 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Those are not facts, neither of them were reported in the OP.

The witness said she appeared to be sitting alone, staring into the distance as though deep in thought before lying down for a period.

23 hours ago, Sir Dude said:

Sorry, but who in their right mind does that unless mentally ill or on recreational pharmaceuticals? Darwin Awards.

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