PATTAYA, Thailand – A 63-year-old German man narrowly escaped death after falling into a 20-meter-deep water pit while mowing grass behind Wat Pa Yub in Sattahip, Chonburi. He floated in the water for around 40 minutes before being rescued, thanks to alert neighbors who heard his cries for help.
At 11:00 a.m. on October 9, Phichit Kiakkutand, head of Sawang Rojanathammasathan Foundation rescue unit, received an urgent call about the incident. Rescue teams coordinated with the local municipal disaster prevention unit to respond immediately.
Upon arrival, rescuers found the man, identified as Mr. Roland Lorenz, weakly treading water and shouting for help. Using ropes, the team carefully pulled him to safety over approximately 15 minutes. Remarkably, he escaped without injury, while his son watched anxiously nearby.
Paijit Kiewkasem, 53, a neighbor, recounted seeing Mr. Roland walking by with a grass trimmer earlier that morning. “I heard his cries for help and rushed to alert the rescue team,” she said.
Mr. Roland explained that he had not noticed the pit, which was hidden by overgrown grass, and accidentally stepped into it. “I was lucky. If my neighbor hadn’t heard me, I might not have survived that day,” he said, expressing his gratitude to the rescue personnel for their swift action.
