Rohingya man allegedly commits suicide in Nakhon Si Thammarat canal
A Rohingya man allegedly committed suicide in a canal in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. His body was discovered yesterday, February 18.
Officers from Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat Police Station investigated the lifeless body of a foreign man found in the Tha Wang canal after being alerted at approximately 1.40pm. According to the police, the man was dressed neatly and was wearing a watch and two rings.
There were no wounds or signs of physical assault on his body at the scene. No personal documents were found with him. He was suspected to stay and work in Thailand illegally.
After speaking with locals, officers learned that the foreign man was a Rohingya national who had previously lived in Malaysia before moving to Songkhla province in Thailand and subsequently to Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The man reportedly ran a small shop selling knives, watches, rings, and other accessories at a weekend market in the province. No one was aware of where he lived.
A Thai vendor at a tea shop told police that the man visited her shop on the morning of the same day. He drank hot tea and ate two packs of sticky rice. The man informed the vendor that he had no money to pay at that time but promised to pay for the food one day if he was still alive.
The vendor said she sympathised with his struggles and did not demand payment. He left her shop and was later found dead.
Police have initially concluded that the case was a suicide, as there were no signs of physical assault. However, an autopsy will be conducted to confirm the police’s assumption.
In light of the ongoing crisis, increasing numbers of Burmese and Rohingya nationals are illegally crossing the border into Thailand in search of job opportunities. Some of them have fallen victim to fake agencies that promise employment in Thailand or third countries, only to abandon them later.
Last week, over 50 Burmese and Rohingya nationals were rescued after being abandoned by human traffickers in the Khao Kho district of Phetchabun province in northern Thailand.
In January, 48 Rohingya people were found in the southern provinces of Phuket and Phang Nga. They informed Thai police that they travelled from Bangladesh and intended to continue their journey to a third country, believed to be Malaysia, before being apprehended.
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.
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