Australian living in Chiang Mai hangs himself from a roadside tree

An Australian man is believed to have hanged himself from a tree on a roadside in Chiang Mai’s Hang Dong district this morning. The man has been identified as Nicholas James Watek.

A passer-by called the Hang Dong police around 9.30am after he saw the man hanging from a tree on Soi Bon Kai Doi Tham in Ban Doi Tham village in Tambon Nam Phra. A red Honda CRF off-road bike was found near the tree.

A doctor determined that the man had died shortly before he was found.

Police say the same man had been riding his motorcycle around the area making loud noises at about 2am. Local residents had called police to complain.

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).