Two people drowned in the Chao Phraya river as two boats passed by without making any attempt to help them, and the incident was caught on video and shared online.
Pol Lt Col Sa-nga Panya, an investigating officer at Bang Kho Laem police station, said the incident took place near a dock in Bangkok's Khlong Toey district on Tuesday evening. Rescuers were later able to recover the bodies of Raya Puangsathorn, 13, and Sarin Saekuang, 20.
According to witnesses, a group of five people were seen playing in the river, about 200 metres from the dock. Later, Raya ws unable to swim back to the shore and called for help. Sarin then swam back to help him, but was then too exhausted to reach shore again and they drowned. One of their friends jumped into the river to rescue them, but it was too late.
In the video, two boats are seem going past the two drowning swimmers. One of the swimmers shouted for help but the boats did not stop to save them.
Pol Lt Col Sa-nga said the people on the two boats thought the men were just playing in the river and they did not hear the cry for help.
The video was circulated online and netizens mostly criticised the people on the boats, and the person who recorded the incident, for not doing anything to help the victims.