Suspected electric wire thief’s body found in Bangkok skywalk

Technicians investigating an electrical system failure in the ceiling of a skywalk in Bangkok yesterday discovered the body of a Thai man, who is believed to have died four to five months ago.

The technicians from Chong Nonsi BTS Station were called to examine the electrical fault, yesterday, September 5. The control panel and the entire system were located within the ceiling of the skywalk, necessitating that each technician crawl inside to conduct the inspection.

Instead of finding the cause of the failure, a technician discovered the body of a Thai man, whose identity remains unknown. The technician immediately reported the shocking discovery to officers from Tung Nam Mek Police Station.

According to the police investigation, the body was already in an advanced state of decomposition. The deceased was wearing a red safety helmet, a T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers, all of which were covered in blood.

A flashlight was attached to the helmet, and near the body, the technician found a bag containing various construction tools. Pliers, believed to belong to the deceased, were found hanging from an electrical cable, leading the police to suspect that the man was attempting to steal electrical wires.

It is thought that the man was trying to cut the cables for resale when he was electrocuted. He carried no identification, and the decomposition of the body has made it difficult to identify. The body is currently undergoing an autopsy.

The BTS technician did not confirm whether the electrical failure was related to the presence of the body.

In a similar case, the body of a Thai man was found last year in a small crevice beneath a building in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. Locals reported a foul smell emanating from the building for some time before an investigation led to the discovery of the body.

It was believed that the man attempted to steal electrical wires from the building but was electrocuted and died in the process.

In another related incident, the body of another unidentified man was found beneath an electricity control panel on a footpath along Romklao Road in Bangkok in May. Bottles of alcohol and drinking water were found nearby in a plastic bag.

It was unclear whether the man had attempted to steal electrical wires or had accidentally fallen into the hole within the panel due to intoxication.