CHON BURI: An American tourist was found trapped in a stormwater drain in Pattaya on Tuesday night after a passerby heard him calling for help
Rescuers of the Sawang Boriboon emergency centre were called to the mouth of Soi Thepprasit 8 in Moo 11 of tambon Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district about 7.30pm.
They were directed to a nearby drain on the side of the road. When they looked through the metal grid over the hole, they saw a man about 1.50 metres below, trapped in the 60 centimeter sewer pipe. They opened the grid and lifted him back to the surface.
Chalee Boonsri, 26, a security guard, told police he had arrived at the spot on his motorcycle to buy a soft drink from a shop and he heard a man yelling, apparently calling out for help. He looked around, but saw no-one. Then he looked down through the grill over the nearby drain, and saw a man in the murk below.
Pattaya and tourist police soon arrived at the scene. The trapped man was identified as Jonathan Ioane Vaimaona, 36, an American who arrived in Thailand with his girlfriend on May 12. They stayed at a condominium on Thap Phraya road, about two kilometres away.
Mr Vaimaona appeared exhausted by his ordeal. He was wearing only a pair of pants, his body covered with sludge. Asked how he became stuck in the sewer pipe, his answer was confusing. It was not yet clear what happened.
