A police officer praised by the public for pulling a university lecturer from his burning car says he was just doing his job.
"I would like to thank everyone who has praised me. There are many other good people who helped him too," Sarangong Onsing was quoted as saying by INN.
"I'm not a hero. I'm just a policeman who protects people," he added.
Pol Capt Saranpong, a deputy superintendent of the Highway Police, received plaudits for efforts to rescue Ratthakan Komolrat, a lecturer at Mahidol University who was trapped inside his burning car after it hit the back of a pickup on the outbound section of the elevated Boromrtchonnanee Road on Wednesday.
Pol Capt Saranpong said he and two colleagues from his office based in Nakhon Pathom province were driving to Bangkok to protect a royal motorcade of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn when they spotted a car in flames and stopped to help.
He said he saw the lecturer unconscious in his vehicle and broke the rear window after a man handed him a hammer.
Pol Capt Saranpong said that once an ambulance arrived, he let medics do their job and resumed the journey to his destination at Sra Pathum Palace.
Ratthakan and the driver of another car were sent to Chao Phraya Hospital near the accident scene. The lecturer was severely injured and pronounced dead hours later at the hospital.
National police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda praised Pol Capt Saranpong, other policemen, volunteers, medics and firefighters for their work, the Police Thailand News Facebook page quoted deputy police spokesman Col Krisana Patanacharoen as saying.
By coincidence, the courageous act took place on Oct 17, National Police Day. The day to honour police was moved from Oct 13 starting last year.
The Royal Thai Police Office was set up on Oct 17, 1998. Prior to that, it was known as the Police Department under the jurisdiction of the Interior Ministry.