Chinese man trapped in well for 3 days after Thai villagers mistook his cries for ghosts

For three days, villagers in Mae Sot, western Thailand, reported to local police that they have been hearing eerie sounds coming from a nearby forest.

Fearing the worst, locals stayed inside after dark, too scared to investigate the source, local media reported.

However, the source of the mysterious noises was far from supernatural.

They came from a 22-year-old Chinese man, Liu Chuanyi, who was trapped in a 12m-deep abandoned well.

The man was discovered on Nov. 24 by soldiers from the Rajamanu Special Task Force, who were patrolling the Thai-Myanmar border, Thairath reported.

It was revealed through an interpreter that Liu had gone without food, water, or sleep for three days.

Task force followed the cry for help

While the Rajamanu Special Task Force was on their patrol to prevent illegal immigration and drug smuggling from neighboring countries, they suddenly heard a howling sound resembling a cry for help coming from the forest, according to Thairath.

The soldiers were puzzled by the sound, especially in the dark, until the squad leader shouted back that he had received a response.

It became clear that the sound was a person's voice.

Following the noise to its source, they shone a flashlight and discovered Liu trapped at the bottom of a dry well in the forest.

He did not speak Thai and was only wearing shorts.

The officers quickly put two and two together and realised that Liu had likely fallen into the well.

The unit used their radio to call for rescue workers from Mae Sot District to assist in removing him from the well and transporting him to Mae Sot Hospital for further treatment.

The rescue operation lasted 30 minutes, and Liu was found in a weakened state with a fractured left wrist, a concussion, and bruises across his body, according to the Mae Sot Pitakkan Foundation's post on Facebook.

He was promptly taken to the hospital.

Man would have died if he was found any later

Through an interpreter, it was learned that Liu had been in the well for three days, shouting for help once every hour to conserve his strength.

He continuously cried for help, but no one came until he heard footsteps from a passing military officer, as reported by the Thai media outlet, The Nation.

Liu thanked the Thai soldiers and the local rescue team for their help.

According to Thairath, if the team had not found him, Liu would likely have died.

Reason for how man ended up in the well remains unclear

The reasons behind his presence at the Thailand-Myanmar border remain unclear.

According to a report by Thairath, rescue teams suspect he wandered into the forest and accidentally fell into the well while trying to find his way out.

The authorities have contacted the immigration department to investigate how he ended up in the area, as there have been cases of individuals illegally crossing the border or hiding in the border to avoid arrest, according to The Nation.

Meanwhile, measures are being implemented to seal the well with a cover to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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