Saving girl from drowning while off-duty just part of job: awarded officer
Songkhla’s Singha Nakhon Police Station deputy inspector Pol Captain Somporn Meeleunloy was honoured on Monday with an award for his heroic action in saving a five-year-old girl from drowning at the Singh Nakhon ferry pier on January 4.
Colleagues applauded Songkhla as he accepted the award in front of the precinct from Superintendent Pol Colonel Theerasak Charoensri.
Somporn told reporters that he was travelling on the ferry with his son from Muang district to go home in Singha Nakhon when he saw the girl slip into the seawater along with her father, as they disembarked the boat.
He promptly jumped in to rescue the girl.
“It is my duty as a police officer to provide aid when encountering such an incident,” said the modest officer.
“I am happy that both the girl and her parent are safe. I thank people on the ferry that day for their help and I thank my supervisors, including Songkhla provincial police commander Pol Maj-General Preeda Piamvaree, for constantly reminding us police officers to perform our duties to serve the public.”
Theerasak said he was proud of his subordinate’s action. It reflected the Royal Thai Police’s volunteer spirit to aid others in danger without fear for one's own safety, he said.
