CHIANG MAI: A rescue worker impersonating an insane man has successfully saved the life of a student who was about to jump from a pedestrian bridge in this northern province.
Withawat Sinworasrithaweekhun, chief of a rescue team of Maejo municipality, got on the bridge over Chiang Mai-Phrao Road in front of Maejo University late Sunday night after learning the man was contemplating suicide there.
He found the university student sitting still on the edge of the bridge overlooking traffic underneath. The young man did not utter a word even though police had tried for an hour to talk to him.
Mr Withawat had a different idea. After changing his clothes into a dirty T-shirt and shorts, he walked barefoot to a rubbish bin near the depressed man and pretended to search the garbage.
Meanwhile, police kept talking to the young man to distract him as planned. Suddenly, Mr Withawat grabbed the man from behind, swiftly pulling him back to the pedestrian bridge onto his body so he did not hit the concrete floor.
Police brought the student to their Maejo station to calm him down and contact his relatives.
"I didn't mean to be a hero but only want to save the young man. I made it thanks to the police who distracted him and onlookers who agreed to stay away and not to put pressure on the man," Mr Withawat said.