A tourist from the Philippines has taken to social media claiming he “almost went blind” after being struck in the eye by a high-pressure water gun during the Songkran celebrations in Bangkok on Saturday (18 April).
The incident reportedly occurred on the second day of the festival, when the visitor and his friends were taking part in a water fight. According to his account, he had sprayed another participant before the individual retaliated using a more powerful water gun, with the jet of water directly hitting his left eye.
The tourist said his vision went completely dark for around 30 seconds before slowly returning in a blurry state. Concerned, he and his friends moved aside and rinsed his eye with clean water. He also noticed what appeared to be traces of blood, which raised further alarm among his group.
He later sought assistance at a first aid station in the Silom area, where medical staff reportedly applied a sodium chloride solution to his eye. However, his condition appeared to worsen later that night when he noticed black floating spots in his vision while showering at his hotel, prompting him to seek further medical attention.
After researching his symptoms, he decided to visit an eye hospital in Bangkok the following day, despite not having travel insurance. A doctor diagnosed him with a retinal haemorrhage, a condition involving bleeding within the eye, and advised him that the case was serious and uncommon during Songkran celebrations.
He was later referred to a retinal specialist, who confirmed the presence of internal bleeding but found no retinal tear, meaning surgery was not required. The doctor also urged immediate follow-up care rather than waiting to return home.
The tourist said the experience left him traumatised and made him cautious around high-pressure water fights for the rest of the festival. He later reflected that the incident served as a reminder for travellers to obtain insurance and wear protective eyewear during such events.
