Upon wandering in front of an approaching train, a deaf grandmother’s life was just barely saved by a quick-thinking station master.
At the Ban Song railway station in the Wiang Sa neighbourhood of Surat Thani, Thailand, Thitipong Piripol reacted immediately upon spotting the elderly man.
Security cameras had captured the lady stumbling across the train track with her head down on Sunday morning.
She had no idea that the 9:48 am express train No. 85, which was travelling from Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat, was barreling at her.
Before realising the villager is deaf, Thitipong sprinted out of his office and shoved the pensioner aside.
He told reporters, “This one came so quickly because there were no trains approaching when she started crossing.”
She was watching where she was going and taking care not to trip, yet she failed to hear the approaching train.
“It’s my duty to ensure that the rail lines are secure when trains are approaching, and I then noticed the elderly woman crossing,” I said.
I hurried over to push her aside because I had the instinctive thought that since she was moving so slowly, she may be hit by the train.
The lady, who often crosses the track to go home since she lives close to the station, has come dangerously close to being struck by a train three times, according to the Thailand Posts.
But top officials haven’t gone unnoticed, praising the acting station master for his bravery.
Thitipong was a “hero,” according to Nirut Maneephan, governor of the State Railway of Thailand, who placed the grandmother’s safety “before his own.”
We urge everyone to use caution and determine if it is secure before crossing rail lines when driving or walking, he said.
Wichawut Jinto, the governor of Surat Thani province, also gave Thitipong a certificate of appreciation and a fruit basket.
