Naked US man rescued from Bangkok sewer after chaotic struggle

The man, identified only as Jack, had fallen through a gap in the concrete slabs covering a drain separating his condo building from a canal

A naked American man who accidentally got stuck in a drain in Thailand tried to crawl deeper into the sewer and fight off his rescuers, biting and spitting at them when they finally broke through the concrete to get to him.

The chaotic rescue on Monday morning started with a phone call from the residents of a block of flats along Kalpapruek Road in Bangkok. They told the police that a man had fallen through a gap in the concrete slabs covering a drain separating the building from a canal, the Bangkok Post newspaper reported.

When rescuers arrived, they found a man wedged between the slabs with only his legs protruding from the opening of the drainage pipe connected to the canal. Despite being clearly stuck, the man, later identified only as 28-year-old “Jack”, refused help and shouted in English that he could get out on his own, according to the KhaoSod newspaper.

He even tried to crawl deeper into the drain, while shouting incoherently, as the rescuers began to cut and drill through the concrete. Eventually, some of the rescuers had to crawl into the small space to pull him out, after binding his torso with cloth. Others had to push his legs from the opening.

Jack became more agitated during the rescue process, even biting off the strap of a female rescuer’s wristwatch and chewing on it, according to the Thai Examiner news website. His erratic behaviour continued above ground. After he spat at his rescuers, they placed a medical mask over his mouth and strapped him to a backboard to restrain him.

During the initial medical assessment, paramedics found only scratches and no broken bones. But as his mental state was unstable and he appeared paranoid and disoriented, they suspected that substance abuse might be involved.

A foreign resident of the block of flats who helped translate Jack’s conversation told the rescuers that Jack claimed to be living in the building with his Thai girlfriend. But he could not explain how he came to be stuck in the drain.

Jack was sent to hospital for further examination and psychiatric care.

Officials are waiting for hospital toxicology results and trying to contact his family and the US embassy for more information. They emphasised that Jack was not being charged with any offence for the time being.

Another American man caused a scene in Thailand in a separate incident on Sunday. The retired soldier turned English teacher allegedly went into a meltdown in Pattaya, ranting incoherently and spitting at staff, after a woman rejected his advances, the Thaiger news website reported.

“He started shouting and swearing, then spat at the girls waiting out front,” said a cashier at the bar. “Then he kicked over the sign and stormed off. But he always comes back. He acts strange and talks nonsense.”

When he returned wielding a metal rod and a blade, bouncers subdued him before handing him over to police.