SAMUT SONGKHRAM — A dramatic late-night rescue unfolded on October 1 when a 34-year-old Myanmar man saved a Thai woman who had been drifting helplessly in the Mae Klong River for more than four hours.
The woman, Thipwan, 52, slipped and fell into the river while collecting glasses along the bank at around 6:00 PM. She floated nearly three kilometers downstream, clinging to survival while several large fishing boats unknowingly passed by, their crews unable to see her from the height of their vessels.
“I floated on my back and prayed for help,” she later recalled, describing her survival as nothing short of miraculous. Eventually, crew members on a small fishing boat spotted her, giving her hope until the rescue came.
A Timely Intervention
The rescuer, identified only as Thodee, said he was working on the riverbank when he heard faint cries for help. Initially mistaking the sounds for a ghost, he went to investigate and was stunned to find a woman gripping a fishing boat rope, visibly exhausted.
He quickly called friends to help pull her to safety and provided a towel to keep her warm until emergency teams arrived. Rescue workers later confirmed that she had been floating in the river for more than four hours before being brought ashore around 10:00 PM.
Human Resilience
The incident highlights both the dangers of the Mae Klong River and the resilience of those who live and work along its banks. Local authorities praised Thodee for his quick response and bravery, crediting him with preventing what could have been a tragedy.
