Drunk Thai taxi driver found dead in car outside ex-wife’s apartment

A drunk Thai taxi driver was found dead in his car parked outside his ex-wife’s apartment in the Bang Bon district of Bangkok on Tuesday night.

Officers from Bang Khun Thian Police Station were alerted to the man’s death by 43 year old Thai woman Surumpa, at around 10pm, on June 18. She discovered the lifeless body of her ex-husband, 60 year old Ittipat, in his taxi parked outside her apartment in Soi Ekkachai 52.

Police found Ittipat in the taxi driver’s passenger seat, leaning against the car door. Police estimated the Thai man had been dead for at least five to six hours.

Surumpa told police that she and Ittipat divorced nearly three years ago but her ex-husband would often visit to see their daughter.

Surumpa had a new boyfriend, Kriangkrai, who lived with her and her daughter in the apartment. On the day of the incident, Ittipat posted a death threat against Kriangkrai on his Facebook account.

“Kriangkrai, don’t you dare come to my daughter’s room again. I will kill you!”

Worried that her ex-husband might act on his threat, Surumpa rushed home. Arriving at around 8pm, she saw Ittipat’s car parked in the car park and noticed him sitting motionless in the cab. Surumpa opened the car door to confront Ittipat but found he was dead.

Police officers reviewed security camera footage from the car park and its surrounding areas, finding that Ittipat had arrived at the apartment around 4am on June 17. He had carried something to his daughter’s room before leaving.

Ittipat then drank alcohol in the car park and entered the car, falling asleep. Police suspect he died from a lack of air, as he had not turned on the engine or opened the car windows.

Ittipat’s body is undergoing an autopsy at Siriraj Hospital to confirm the cause of death.