Station master praised for saving elderly woman's life

Security camera footage showed an elderly woman was crossing a rail track at Ban Song railway station in Surat Thani's Wiang Sa district on Sunday while a train was arriving at the station. Her life was saved by the station master. (Screenshot from footage of the State Railway of Thailand)

SURAT THANI: Members of the public have heaped praise on the station master of Ban Song railway station in Wiang Sa district for saving the life of a 75-year-old woman with impaired hearing as she was about to be hit by a train on Sunday.

Security camera footage showed that at about 9.50am on Sunday, the woman was walking across a rail track while express train No 85 (Bangkok-Nakhon Si Thammarat) was entering the station. The woman was completely unaware that she was in danger.

When station master Thitipong Piripol saw what was happening, he ran out of his office and pushed the woman off the rail track moments before she would have been hit by the train.

It was found later that the woman was deaf.

Nirut Maneephan, the State Railway of Thailand governor, was full of praise for Mr Thitipong for his heroic deed.

He asked all people to be careful and make sure it is safe before walking, riding or driving across a rail track.

Surat Thani governor Wichawut Jinto, left, handed over a basket of fruit to Thitipong Piripol, the station master of Ban Song railway station in Wiang Sa district to thank him for saving an elderly deaf woman from being hit by a train in Sunday. Mr Thitipong was also presented a certificate of admiration. (Photo: Supapong Chaolan)