Korean tourist slammed for reckless jump and fall into Thai river from moving boat

A Korean tourist has drawn criticism online after a video showed him falling into a river in Bangkok while attempting a reckless jump from a boat to a dock.

The incident occurred earlier this month near the Terminal 21 shopping mall along Rama III Road in Bangkok. According to a report by the Bangkok Post, the man attempted to leap from a ferry that was in the process of docking. Though one foot reached the pier, he lost his balance and fell into the Chao Phraya River.

The man was quickly rescued by ferry crew and nearby staff. Some reached out from the boat to pull him up, while others rushed in with ropes.

As the ferry was close to the pier, there was concern that the man could have been trapped between the vessel and the dock. To prevent this, onlookers pushed the boat away to create space and eventually lifted him to safety.

Though no injuries were reported, footage of the incident has gone viral on Korean social media platforms, sparking sharp criticism. The video, titled “Reckless jump by Korean in Thailand,” circulated widely on Wednesday.

Comments on the video included remarks such as: “He embarrassed the whole country,” “He could have just waited a moment” and “He could’ve been crushed between the boat and the wall.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.