A Cautionary Tale: Man Trapped Head-First in Water Tank After Slipping, Saved by Quick-Thinking Daughter and Rescue Workers
A 63-year-old man trapped headfirst in a water tank at a Nonthaburi condo was rescued after his daughter quickly drained the tank and called emergency services; he was treated for water aspiration at a local hospital.
On May 9th at 2:30 p.m., rescue volunteers from the Por Tet Tung Foundation received a call about a man trapped in a 120-liter water tank at a condominium room on Samakkhi Lane 28 in Tha Trai subdistrict, Mueang district, Nonthaburi province. When officers arrived, they found 63-year-old Thienchai Thammapricha in a weakened condition, curled up inside the tank. Rescue personnel had to use lubricating cream and a saw to cut through the tank in order to remove him. Thianchai was initially in shock from water aspiration and received first aid before being transported to Phra Nang Klao Hospital.
Thianchai later recounted what happened: while bending down to clean the nearly full tank, his feet slipped on the bathroom floor, causing his entire body to plunge headfirst into the water. He cried out for his daughter as water filled his lungs, and he began struggling to breathe. He thought he might need CPR if he survived at all. Fortunately, his daughter heard him and managed to tip over the tank, letting the water drain completely.
His 37-year-old daughter, Jenjeera Thammapricha, explained that she initially heard her father calling softly from the bathroom and thought he was joking. When she went to check, she found him submerged in the tank with no way to pull him out. She made the quick decision to overturn the tank so the water would drain and allow her father to breathe, then called for emergency help as his body remained stuck inside the tank.
