Man with sword alarms residents in Ayutthaya historical park

Residents of Ayutthaya were alarmed by a man walking around a historical park with a sword, claiming he borrowed it from a friend and had no intention of harming anyone. The police were alerted to the situation today and responded promptly.

Police officers from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Station received reports from concerned citizens about a Thai man seen carrying a sword near Wat Phra Si Sanphet within the Ayutthaya Historical Park. Fearing potential danger, they swiftly moved to investigate.

Upon arrival, officers encountered a shirtless man in shorts, covered in tattoos, walking back and forth with a long sword. They approached him, instructed him to put the sword down, and subsequently detained him, securing the weapon.

The man identified himself as 32 year old Chatree and claimed he was merely walking around the park and had borrowed the sword from a friend. He insisted he had no malicious intent, merely carrying the sword as he walked.

“I live in the Wat Takrai community and was just walking around the park. I borrowed the sword from a friend but wasn’t planning to do anything with it.”

Residents exercising in the park reported seeing Chatree with the sword, causing them to flee in fear, said one local.

“I was jogging when I saw him walking towards me with the sword. I stopped and walked away quickly, afraid he might be dangerous.”

Observers also noted that Chatree had a shirt wrapped around his hand and appeared to be sniffing something, adding to their concerns.

The incident sparked fear among parkgoers and tourists, leading many to leave the area hurriedly. An off-duty police officer jogging in the park observed the unusual behaviour and quickly radioed for backup from the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Station, reported KhaoSod.

The responding officers took Chatree into custody and conducted a background check and drug test at the station. Despite local suspicions linking him to drug use, the test results showed no purple urine, indicating no drug presence. Nevertheless, police charged Chatree with carrying a weapon in public without a valid reason.