Foul play dismissed as Thai drink driving suspect dies in custody

A Thai man died under mysterious circumstances yesterday while in detention at Chaiyaphruek Police Station in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok after being arrested for drink driving.

The deceased’s wife, Tippawan, visited the police station yesterday, November 11, to demand a further investigation into the death of her husband, 57 year old Thongsai. Tippawan said she lost contact with her husband and that the police did not inform the family that Thongsai was in custody.

According to Tippawan, police only contacted her after her husband had died. She stated that although Thongsai drank alcohol frequently, he had no history of health issues or any congenital disease. Tippawan did not believe alcohol was the cause of her husband’s death.

Police officers provided CCTV footage from the jail to Channel 7, which showed Thongsai lying on the ground, dressed only in a polo shirt and underwear, with his jeans removed. He appeared to be shaking two to three times before lying motionless.

Samirt Samae, the police officer on duty at the time, told the media that all items that the suspect could use to harm himself were confiscated before he was put in the cell. His two mobile phones were also seized.

Thongsai was heard snoring loudly throughout the night until his breathing stopped at around 4am. Police later checked on him and found that he had died.

The Superintendent of Chaiyaphruek Police Station, Sonchai Chookaew, insisted that no police officer assaulted or harmed the suspect and that he did not take his own life while in custody.

An initial autopsy suggested that Thongsai died due to a haemorrhagic stroke likely caused by excessive alcohol consumption. A thorough autopsy will be conducted to confirm the exact cause of death.

Thongsai’s daughter offered a different view from her mother, stating that she believed her father’s death was due to a health issue related to alcohol. She reported no signs of wounds, bruises, or other suspicious marks on his body.

The daughter said she last contacted her father on the afternoon of Sunday, November 10, when he drank two to three bottles of beer before leaving home for his workplace in Pathum Thani province.