Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can

For fireman Sonchai Yoosabai his superhero costumes are a way to promote fire safety, but for a young student they may have helped save his life.

REAL-LIFE SUPERHERO: Fire-fighter Sonchai Yoosabai.

On Monday, an eight-year-old autistic boy stood on the ledge of the third-floor of a building at Srinakharinwirot University, Prasarnmitr campus. It looked like he was ready jump.

Mr Sonchai was one of the first firemen on the scene. He learned from the boy's mother and teachers that he likes Spider-Man and Ultraman.

"I am Spider-Man," he told the boy's mother. He asked the mother and teachers to keep talking to the boy while he went back to the Klong Toey fire station to change into his superhero outfit. Not long afterwards, Spider-Man was making his way to the building with the boy's favourite meal, moo satay, and an iced orange drink in his hands.

"Spider-Man is coming," the teachers yelled to the boy to get his attention. The boy turned around, saw the costume and yelled: "Spider-Man!"

Mr Sonchai coaxed the boy to slowly and carefully make his way towards him. Following the superhero's instructions without question, the boy made it to safety.

Spider-Man kissed him and the boy hugged him in return. He then told the boy to obey his mother and teachers. If not, Spider-Man would not come back to see him again. That was all in a day's work for a hero without super powers.

"I didn't go with Ultraman because Spider-Man can do more things. He can shoot his web, climb up and down, or hang himself from his web off the building. Ultraman can only shoot lasers as his weapon," he said.

The firefighter decided to become Spider-Man four years ago. But one superhero is never enough for a city as vibrant as Bangkok, so later he added Ultraman (a Japanese comic superhero) and Tiger Mask (a Japanese comic wrestler) costumes to his collection. Both are favourites with Thai youngsters.

"I'm not crazy. It's part of my firefighting and rescuing job at Klong Toey station. It is to attract attention from the public, especially the children," he explained. "My job isn't only to stop fires, but also to help people. For example, when snakes are found in a residence, or a cat gets stuck in a tree. Some cases seem really nonsensical, while some actually involve saving people's lives." Mr Sonchai has been at Klong Toey station for four years. One of his duties is to train the public on fire prevention measures, which he does while wearing superhero outfits. He also dresses up as different celebrities, such as a member of Pong Lang Sa-on, an Isan music group. The strategy, according to Mr Sonchai, works well in attracting and keeping the attention of the public. He bought his outfits for 190 baht each at the Platinum shopping complex in Pratunam.

If a training session is organised at a condominium, he will don the Spider-Man guise, to appeal to both children and adults.

If a traning session is at a slum, he will dress in the Pong Lang Sa-on outfit, to attract grassroots appeal.

Once on a drill he dressed up as Spider-Man while his colleagues dressed in monster outfits. He slide down from the top of a building with a sling to fight the monsters on the ground. The people loved it. At the end of a training session, he tells the people: "There is no Spider-Man or other superhero to help us in real life. Only we can save our own lives."

Back at the scene of the rescue at Srinakharinwirot University, the autistic boy would not let him leave until Spider-Man told him that there were other lives to be saved.

The boy understood.