Thai man dies in detention room after ex-girlfriend assault arrest
A Thai man died by suicide in a detention room at Min Buri Police Station in Bangkok today, February 17, hours after he was arrested over repeated assaults on his ex-girlfriend.
The 31 year old victim, identified only as A, sought assistance from the Secretary to the Minister of Social Development and Human Security, Thanakrit Jit-areerat, after she said her earlier complaints against her ex-boyfriend, Pornwitsanu, had not progressed.
A said she nearly lost her life in the attacks and had been living in fear. She wanted her ex-boyfriend arrested and prosecuted.
According to A, she and Pornwitsanu previously operated a second-hand motorcycle garage in Bangkok while they were in a relationship. She said Pornwitsanu was arrested in February this year for taking away a minor, and she began a new relationship while he was serving his sentence.
A said that after Pornwitsanu learned she was dating someone else, he went to the garage and attacked her. She said he repeatedly punched and kicked her and threw hard objects at her until witnesses intervened. She reported the incident to Sutthisan Police Station, but there was no progress in the case.
She later encountered him at a petrol station in the Min Buri area of Bangkok, where he assaulted her again, including beating and dragging her on the ground. She said witnesses and petrol station staff stepped in to help. A said her complaint at Min Buri Police Station was also ignored.
The latest incident happened on February 11 while A was staying with her father at a house in the Romklao area of Bangkok. She said Pornwitsanu broke into the home, attacked her and stole her mobile phone.
A stated that he used the phone to access her social media accounts, posted rude messages on her Facebook account and shared details of their personal conflict in a chat group of her colleagues.
She also said he uploaded explicit videos of her to several websites and used the phone to withdraw money from all of her bank accounts.
Thanakrit accompanied A to Romklao Police Station to follow up on the February 11 case. His involvement drew public attention online, and Pornwitsanu was arrested today, February 17, according to the report.
Police said the suspect was arrested at a convenience store in the Romklao area and transferred to Min Buri Police Station for temporary detention at about 1.33am. At about 5.55am, he was found hanging in the detention room using his trousers.
Police told MGR Online that the suspect appeared highly stressed during questioning. He reportedly said he took medication for a mental illness but had run out. He was detained in the same room as a suspect in a drug case, who was asleep at the time and did not witness the death, police said.
Following the incident, the police station set up a special committee to investigate both the death and whether on-duty officers were negligent in allowing the detainee to take his own life while under supervision.
If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. Seek help.
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