LOPBURI — A French tourist expressed heartfelt gratitude to a local “Monkey City Hero” who volunteered to climb an ancient prang in central Lopburi to retrieve her iPhone from a mischievous monkey. The rescue mission on Saturday took an unexpected turn when the hero himself needed assistance getting down due to fear of heights.
Yut, a 40-year-old security volunteer at the famous Phra Prang Sam Yot landmark in Lopburi, sprang into action when he heard foreign tourists crying for help. The incident began when a monkey from the nearby Phra Kahn shrine grabbed the female tourist’s elephant pants drawstring, startling her and causing her to drop her iPhone. The monkey then quickly scaled the ancient structure with the device.
Without hesitation, Yut removed his shoes and pursued the monkey up the prang, impressing the French tourist and her parents with his climbing abilities. However, the situation became complicated when Yut, focused on the chase, suddenly realized he had climbed to a height of about 7 meters.
Looking down, Yut became visibly tense and remained frozen for nearly an hour as strong winds gusted around him. Concerned officials at the scene called for assistance from Tha Hin police station and rescue teams.
Police officers maintained constant communication with Yut to help calm his nerves. Rescue workers eventually brought in a long ladder, allowing him to descend safely. The iPhone was returned to the female tourist undamaged, prompting the grateful family to hail him as the “Monkey City Hero.”
“When I was climbing up, I didn’t look down,” Yut later explained. “I’m not sure how I managed to get up that high. I was just focused on getting the iPhone back.”
“I’ve retrieved tourists’ belongings from monkeys many times before, but never from such a height or in such strong winds. This time was so nerve-wracking I couldn’t look down without feeling faint,” he added.
The French family showed their appreciation by rewarding Yut with 1,200 baht and praised his bravery, dedication to tourists’ welfare, and the overall helpfulness of the police officers and Lopburi residents.
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