PATTAYA, Thailand – In the early hours of May 23, a British national was spotted on the second floor of the abandoned construction site of the 53-story Waterfront Suites and Residences at Bali Hai, South Pattaya, stating that his intention was to take his own life.
Watcharapol Khatthi, a 43-year-old caretaker of the site, told police that he heard footsteps on the corrugated metal sheets of the unfinished building, prompting him to investigate. Led by his flashlight, he saw a foreign man wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops walking on the edge of the second floor. Upon questioning, the man stated, “I’m here to commit suicide.” Watcharapol dissuaded him from making the fatal leap, and the foreigner eventually changed his mind but couldn’t find his way down.
Tourist police and rescue workers arrived and spent over 30 minutes persuading Simon Mark Saunders, a 60-year-old British national, to come down, concerned for his safety. Eventually, he complied but continued to act disorderly, appearing to be intoxicated. He was then taken to the Pattaya Police Station for further questioning.
The Waterfront Pattaya project, a high-profile development including a 53-story condominium and a 20-story hotel with 315 rooms, began construction in 2011. However, work was halted on July 16, 2014, due to deviations from the approved building plans, particularly regarding emergency staircases and elevator shafts not meeting the National Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning Committee (NEPC) requirements.
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