SAMUT SAKHON – A 54-year-old woman narrowly escaped serious injury after falling into a 2m-deep drainage manhole in the heart of Samut Sakhon’s main city on the afternoon of Sept 2. The incident occurred when Ms. Wiparat Yonnawa stepped on a concrete manhole cover, which unexpectedly gave way, causing her to fall 2m into about a metre of water below. She remained trapped underground for nearly 30 minutes until a passer-by noticed her and called for help.
Recounting her frightening ordeal, Ms. Wiparat explained that the manhole cover had appeared fine earlier when she went out to shop. On her return, it suddenly gave way, leaving her in pain and fearful of drowning. She remarked that if the water had been higher, her survival would have been unlikely.
Fortunately, she was eventually rescued and taken to the hospital, where she was treated for severe bruises and scratches. While doctors confirmed there was no internal bleeding, Ms. Wiparat remains concerned about potential long-term effects due to her pre-existing health conditions.
After the accident, Samut Sakhon’s deputy mayor visited her in the hospital. Although the municipality has taken responsibility and covered her medical expenses, discussions about compensation were still pending. Ms. Wiparat urged local authorities to implement safety measures to prevent similar accidents in the future, stating that proper signs or barriers should be installed to protect the public from such dangers
Deputy mayor Sakchai Nimitpanya said the municipality was inspecting drainage manholes in preparation for high tide, as the province lies along the Gulf of Thailand. He suspects that officials may have left the cover improperly secured after an inspection or left it ajar to allow for garbage removal.
In response, the municipality has ordered an immediate inspection of all manhole covers in the area to ensure they are properly secured and in good condition, with strict instructions to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.