19-4-2024 (BANGKOK) A tragic incident unfolded in the southern province of Surat Thani on Friday morning when a 49-year-old Polish man jumped to his death from atop a cellular tower in Chaiya district, authorities reported.
The distressing scene unfolded along Highway 41, approximately 100 meters from the Chaiya intersection in Tambon Wiang, where the shirtless man was spotted sitting cross-legged near the top of the tower. Pol Capt Danai Chanklan, deputy investigation chief at the Chaiya police station, revealed that authorities were alerted to the situation around 10 am after receiving reports of a mentally disturbed individual who had scaled the towering structure.
Upon arriving at the scene, police and rescue workers, joined by local residents, embarked on a desperate attempt to persuade the man to descend from the perilous height. Air cushions were strategically positioned on the ground below, as onlookers watched the unfolding drama with bated breath.
Despite the pleas and entreaties from the gathered crowd, the man showed no inclination to climb down, prompting authorities to enlist the aid of monks from the renowned Suan Mokkh International Hermitage in Chaiya, as well as language teachers, in a bid to establish communication and coax him to safety.
Tragically, after two grueling hours of failed negotiations, the unidentified Polish national took the fateful decision to jump, plummeting approximately 20 meters to the ground below in full view of the horrified onlookers.
Subsequent investigations by local authorities revealed that the deceased had spent approximately three days practicing meditation at the Suan Mokkh International Hermitage before exhibiting signs of disturbance. Witnesses reported that the man, armed with a wooden baton, had scaled the wall of a nearby residence before ascending the cellular tower.
The man’s identity has been withheld pending notification of his relatives, as per standard protocol.
In the aftermath of the tragic incident, the Polish man’s body was transported to Surat Thani Hospital for a post-mortem examination, while police have initiated an investigation to ascertain the potential motives behind his actions.
