Five carnival-goers, including two children, were thrown from their seats on a fairground ride in Lopburi, central Thailand, on Saturday evening after a safety bar failed. Shocking footage captured the moment the 'cliffhanger' ride malfunctioned, sending passengers crashing onto the steel platform.
The operator, identified only as Ake, 30, admitted he had not been properly trained and failed to check the locking mechanism before starting the ride. He said he was left in charge while his colleague took a break, despite knowing little about operating the machine. Ake issued a grovelling apology for his “carelessness”.
One boy was hurled over a barrier and landed on the ground, then stood up and bandaged his own head wound. Four others slammed into the steel deck and slid along the ground from the force of the moving mechanical arm. A 13-year-old girl suffered a broken leg and was taken to hospital, but has since been released.
Horrified onlooker Jidapa described the scene: “I was taking my young relatives to the fair and watching this ride because it looked so scary. I just heard people screaming at the top then they fell out when the ride came down.” She added that one girl was crying from shock and a boy was thrown outside the ride.
Police Major General Natthapol Sukrasorn confirmed that the ride has been closed and engineers are inspecting the mechanics. Authorities are holding the ride owners' licences to verify their legality. If licences are found to be unregistered, the owners will face charges.
