Local community leaders Panupan Jindapol, village headman (Phu Yai Baan) of Moo 5, Mai Khao, and Wiwat Jindapol, a Vice-President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO, or OrBorJor) Council and police were alerted to the incident at 8:30pm.
Officers from the Tha Chatchai Police and rescue workers from the Mai Khao Tambon Administrative Organization (OrBorTor) were soon at the scene to provide immediate first aid and transport the woman to Thalang Hospital.
Mr Panupan later explained that the alarm was raised by a “eyewitness” who saw the woman get out of her white Mazda sedan stopped halfway across the bridge, and jump over the edge.
A local fisherman in his boat on the water below was able to react in time to rescue the woman from the usually fast-moving water, notorious for claiming lives of those who jump from any of the three bridges connecting Phuket to the mainland..
Mr Wiwat, at the scene last night, said that the current in the canal was not particularly strong when the woman plunged into the water.
“At that time, the tide was not very strong, so the fisherman was able to rescue her in time,” he said.
Police said they were still investigating what had motivated the woman to jump from the bridge.
However, Mr Wiwat said her distress “seems to be related to family problems”.
“Now, she is in a better state of mind as she has since been in contact with her parents,” he said.
The woman’s jump from the bridge came just two days after the 49th anniversary of Somsak Wanawornsukrak and Kanjana Sae- Ngho together ending their lives by jumping off the Sarasin Bridge after their families had forbidden them from seeing each other.
Tamnoon Wannawichaikul, a classmate of the couple, on Tuesday posted a remembrance of the fateful night.
The tale of the star-crossed lovers has become modern Thai folklore, with the Sarasin Bridge today a popular site for Thai tourists to visit during trips to Phuket.
Phuket authorities have set up a 24-hour hotline to help people who have been impacted and are struggling due to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hotline â Tel: 1300 â provides advice and coordinated assistance from a range of government departments and support agencies to those that have been affected in various ways by the pandemic, be it emotionally, mentally, financially or otherwise.
If you or anyone you know is in need of emotional support and counselling, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand at their 24-hour hotline 02-113-6789 (English & Thai) or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai).
Wiesel | 25 February 2022 - 12:14:04