A 57-year-old Thai lady had to have her leg amputated after being entangled in a moving walkway at Bangkok's international airport on Thursday in a strange event that authorities have yet to completely explain.
The incident occurred about 8:27 a.m., according to Karant Thanakuljeerapat, director of Don Mueang International Airport. 7:27 p.m. ET) in the domestic passenger terminal's southern corridor.
Karant said at a press conference Thursday that the lady, who was heading to the southern city of Nakhon Si Thammarat, suffered a "severe" mishap at the end of a moving walkway when her left leg became stuck in the end.
Medics arrived swiftly and the woman was taken to the local hospital, albeit the severity of her injuries necessitated the amputation of her leg up to the kneecap, according to Karant.
She has subsequently been transported to Bumrungrad International Hospital, one of the best medical institutions in the country, according to the director.
“I would like to convey our deepest sorrow,” Karant told reporters.
Krit Kittirattana, the woman's son, issued a message on Facebook, calling the disaster "heartbreaking."
He stated that his mother had surgery but is still at danger of complications, and that physicians are on the lookout for any symptoms of infection.
“My mother has continued to express her strength through her face and voice. But deep down we know that her heart is broken since she suddenly lost her leg,” he wrote.
He went on to say that the family has asked for surveillance camera video of the collision.
Airports Of Thailand (AOT), the state-owned firm that administers airports around the nation, would cover all medical expenditures and pay compensation, according to Karant, the airport director.
All moving walkways at the airport have been paused while the reason of the event is examined and engineers do safety inspections, he said.
“The cause of the incident is still under investigation to find the facts. We might need to set up a fact-finding committee with outsiders to join to achieve impartiality and transparency,” he said.
He said that the accessible closed-circuit television material was obtained from a distance, which took his team longer to investigate.
At this point, he refrained from drawing any early conclusions.
The airport's normal maintenance and checks, on the other hand, were defended by the director.
Don Mueang International Airport, one of Bangkok's two international airports, is located on the capital's northern outskirts. Until the newer and larger Suvarnabhumi Airport opened in 2006, it was the city's major airport.
Thailand is a popular location for tourists looking for pleasant weather and palm-fringed beaches.
With an availability of private facilities, the government has also pushed aggressively for health tourism.
Prior to the coronavirus epidemic, tourism accounted for over 12% of the country's GDP, with almost 40 million visitors expected in 2019.
Arrival numbers were destroyed during the epidemic but have just begun to recover. Thailand exceeded its tourist target in the first three months of 2023, with 6.15 million visitors arriving between January and March.
