Bangkok food vendor’s rooftop standoff ends after wife’s negotiation

A food vendor threatened to leap from the fourth floor of the Bang Khun Thian District Office on Rama 2 Road. A two-hour negotiation ensued after local law enforcement was alerted to the situation today at 9am.

Perched precariously on the fourth floor of the District Office, the 33 year old vendor, Prawit (surname withheld) was seen leaning against a wall, a firearm in his possession. Despite their best efforts, Tha Kham police were unable to negotiate with the distressed man. In a bid to de-escalate the situation, officers contacted Prawit’s wife, hoping her words could soothe him.

Prawit’s wife managed to calm him down after two hours of tense negotiations. Prawit then agreed to cooperate with the police officers present. Following this agreement, custody of Prawit was transferred from his rooftop perch to the Tha Kham Police Station for further investigation.

As the investigation progressed, it was revealed that disagreements between Prawit and his wife had caused a rift. Prawit had sent his wife images of a firearm in a threatening manner, which had instilled fear in her and led her to alert the authorities about Prawit’s behaviour.

Upon receiving the alert, the police began a pursuit. However, Prawit managed to evade them and sought refuge in the Bang Khun Thian District Office. He then proceeded to the rooftop, firearm in hand. The firearm was later discovered hidden inside a nearby brush, as per the police report.

Following the incident, Prawit was taken to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation, reported Pattaya News.

Should the assessment determine that Prawit is suffering from a mental illness, his wife will oversee his admission into a treatment programme, as reported by several Thai national media outlets.

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.