Singapore man dies after 10-storey fall in Bangkok
S'porean retiree falls 10 storeys to his death at Bangkok apartment block
A Singaporean man living in Bangkok fell to his death on Sunday while fixing an electrical fault in his apartment building.
Mr Sim Lee Chye, 64, suffered head and neck injuries, and was likely killed on impact, according to a police report The New Paper obtained from Udom Suk police station in central Bangkok.
The report said that Mr Sim ran a grocery shop on the first storey of an apartment complex. He was also a resident there.
On Sunday, at about 9pm, a power outage occurred in one of the apartment units.
Mr Sim, a retired electrical engineer, offered to help.
Security guard Wachira Janyatham, 60, accompanied Mr Sim to the control room, which was on the 10th storey.
According to Thai news website Daily News, Mr Sim had resolved the problem and was stretching out to reach a button to test the electricity when he took a wrong step.
SHAFT
He fell into an open electrical shaft and tumbled 10 storeys to his death, reported Thai newspaper Thairath.
The shaft, which has an opening that is about 0.7m by 1m, runs from the top of the 12-storey building to the first storey.
Even though he was right behind Mr Sim, Mr Janyatham could not react fast enough to save him, reported the Daily News.
Police received a call about the incident at midnight, according to Thai news website Khao Sod Online.
Mr Sim's wife, Madam Jitripa Kritpitayawet, 57, a Thai national, told Thairath that they had been married for over 30 years.
Mr Sim, who spoke fluent Thai, moved to Thailand to open a grocery shop after retiring from his previous job as an electrical engineer.
Madam Kritpitayawet, who was in tears, said Mr Sim was a pleasant man who was always helpful and friendly towards the apartment residents.
She added that he was often approached to help with electrical problems because of his expertise as an electrical engineer.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The New Paper: "Our Embassy in Bangkok has been in close contact with Mr Sim's family and the Thai authorities. We will continue to provide consular assistance to Mr Sim's family."
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