Russian tourist saves old farang man from drowning

[Thaivisa News]

Pattaya, Chon Buri:- A Russian tourist rescued an unidentified farang man from drowning in the Pattaya sea early Tuesday after he apparently tried to kill himself.

Igor Rudy, 50, told police that he and his girlfriend were strolling on the beach in front of the Hard Rock Hotel at about 3:40 am when he spotted the farang man walking into the sea.

Rudy said the man appeared very sad and walked into the sea with his clothes on and submerged himself under the sea water.

Rudy decided to jump into the water and dragged the man ashore. Eyewitnesses called the Sawangboriboon Foundation which rushed rescuers to the scene.

The rescuers found the man, who appeared in his 60s, lying on the sand. He was wearing a green shirt and blue shorts and black socks. He was carrying no documents.

The rescuers gave the farang man resuscitation and rushed him to the Pattaya Memorial Hospital.

A Thai woman who saw the incident told Pol Maj Pithak Nernsaeng of the Pattaya police station that she saw the farang man walking into the sea and disappeared for three minutes before the Russian tourist rushed out to bring him out of the water.

Several farang tourists have committed suicides in the Pattaya sea.

In October last year, a farang man was found washed ashore at the Pattaya beach with both writs slashed. Witnesses told police that the man was seen walking around the beach with beer can in his hand. Then he was seen walking into the sea before his body was found two hours later.

[Tokay]

Everything is about race in Thailand. You can't just have a story about one person saving another. Sad.

[WhamBam]

Good on the Russian, all credit to him for the rescue though the 'farang' he saved might not think so at the time.

[manxninja]

Just goes to prove not all Russians are bad. Gig props to that man, he saved his life, but I doubt it was for the best.

[roo860]

Blue shorts, black socks, I would have drowned him!!!

[NativeSon360]

Farang this, farang that Wonder if the Thai mentality (even by the so-called "educated" Thais) will ever transcend that level of (ahem) thought. Anyway, it's nice to read something positive (for a change) about what a Russian tourist has done.

[alyx]

Maybe, this is a direct translation from a Thai article and the translator found it easier to write Farang ( which, if I am not mistaken, means "foreigner" ) rather than using the word Caucasian to describe the non Asian allegedly candidate to suicide. Different worlds, different customs.

Back to the topic: maybe the guy who was saved won't be so happy when he comes around ( not withstanding the legal challenge one may face in such a case )

[jacko45k]

Just goes to prove not all Russians are bad. Gig props to that man, he saved his life, but I doubt it was for the best.

It gave him an opportunity to rip his shirt off, puff his chest out and rush into the sea.... if he happened to be wearing one at the time.

More seriously, kudos to him, likely made his holiday.

Too often people seem to wander into the sea unnoticed.

[jonclark]

Everything is about race in Thailand. You can't just have a story about one person saving another. Sad.

I know what you mean. I think it stems from Thai insecurity about their position in the hierarchy.

I just hate the way 'farang' is used as an English word. Can't seem to find an entry in the dictionary though?

[joepattaya1961]

"Farang"......another possibility is the use of "alien" as used in the Thai law.

"Alien tries to drown himself in the sea............", nobody would make any rescue attempt.

[The manic]

Elderly European would be more appropriate. Not farang old man.

[The manic]

Farang this, farang that Wonder if the Thai mentality (even by the so-called "educated" Thais) will ever transcend that level of (ahem) thought. Anyway, it's nice to read something positive (for a change) about what a Russian tourist has done.

Farang is not a derogatory term:

" Farang (Thai: ฝรั่ง [faràŋ]) is a generic Thai word for someone of European ancestry, no matter where they may come from. The Royal Institute Dictionary 1999, the official dictionary of Thai words, defines the word as "a person of white race". Farang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farang "

Farang is derogatory and racist because it is thoughtless and does not discriminate between our various cultural differences or our variety of flesh tones. It is lazy and is frequently used in a derogatory way by Thais. There is a more polite Thai phrase indicating ' visitors from another country.' As for Wikipedia: it is a useful reference point but it has no real academic or intellectual weight.

[transam]

I have done it twice in my longish life...............They never bought me a beer............ ............

[petercool]

Farang this, farang that Wonder if the Thai mentality (even by the so-called "educated" Thais) will ever transcend that level of (ahem) thought. Anyway, it's nice to read something positive (for a change) about what a Russian tourist has done.

Farang is not a derogatory term:

" Farang (Thai: ฝรั่ง [faràŋ]) is a generic Thai word for someone of European ancestry, no matter where they may come from. The Royal Institute Dictionary 1999, the official dictionary of Thai words, defines the word as "a person of white race". Farang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farang "

Farang is derogatory and racist because it is thoughtless and does not discriminate between our various cultural differences or our variety of flesh tones. It is lazy and is frequently used in a derogatory way by Thais. There is a more polite Thai phrase indicating ' visitors from another country.' As for Wikipedia: it is a useful reference point but it has no real academic or intellectual weight.

Pity you feel that way. "Farang" is not always derogatory but just a common descriptive term. The longer phrase you refer to is too elaborate for street usage even if it's found in more formal language and texts. In almost 5 decades, I have never been offended by the term.

[whitemouse]

Everything is about race in Thailand. You can't just have a story about one person saving another. Sad.

Yup. It's always extremely important in Thailand to point out Thai national, or a non Thai person, as if this has huge importance, especially if the news is simply about man helping another man.

I have lived in several countries, nowhere else is the nationality of crime victim, or a man helping another THE most import aspect of a news story. In Canada the headline would be 'Brave man comes to aid a drowning man, and saves a swimmer from certain death'

It just makes it seem that there is always the issue of Us vs Them, it's almost like non Thai is looked at as an alien from another planet, and not fellow earthling.

[MrWorldwide]

Any chance we could focus on the suicidal individual ? Something tells me that if he's serious enough to wade into the murky waters of Pattaya Bay at night he wont let a little thing like this rescue stand in his way.

[transam]

Any chance we could focus on the suicidal individual ? Something tells me that if he's serious enough to wade into the murky waters of Pattaya Bay at night he wont let a little thing like this rescue stand in his way.

Perhaps, but if I risked my neck and dragged a guy out, I would give a slap, a beer, a chat. See what happened................

[useronthenet]

Everything is about race in Thailand. You can't just have a story about one person saving another. Sad.

Yup. It's always extremely important in Thailand to point out Thai national, or a non Thai person, as if this has huge importance, especially if the news is simply about man helping another man.

I have lived in several countries, nowhere else is the nationality of crime victim, or a man helping another THE most import aspect of a news story. In Canada the headline would be 'Brave man comes to aid a drowning man, and saves a swimmer from certain death'

It just makes it seem that there is always the issue of Us vs Them, it's almost like non Thai is looked at as an alien from another planet, and not fellow earthling.

Near enough, farang are not treated as equals but as lesser people. Hence why Thailand is for Thai people and no other. (also in the Thai national Anthem)

[Chonburiram]

I have done it twice in my longish life...............They never bought me a beer............ ............

I once drove a child, who was going to drown, to the nearest hospital after his "farang uncle" pulled him out of the ocean and my wife gave him first aid.

No one of us was aware of the possibility of " secondary drowning" but my wife suggested to bring the boy to the nearby hospital ( the boy had shat himself, was coughing water and feet, fingers, lips looked exsanguinate).

A few days later, at the same beach, the "uncle" came to me with a bottle of Chang thanking me and my wife for the help.

It turned out, that the boy stayed in ICU for 3 days, fighting for his life, coughing up sand and difficulties to breathe.

So, until now, no one bought me a beer either...

[The manic]

I said farang was 'frequently' used in a derogatory way not 'always' as you suggest I said. I also never suggested I was personally offended by the term. You have presumed that.

[petercool]

It is time to get back on the real topic and away from the use of the word "farang".

[Rimmer]

Off topic ramble removed

[phycokiller]

hes likely going to end up in a prison cell if he cant pay the hospital bill

[Khun Riki]

well done mr. Igor

[Rimmer]

Off topic bickering posts removed no more please.