Australian man arrested after chaotic naked rampage in Pattaya
In a striking incident near Pattaya, an Australian man caused chaos in a luxury village by running unclothed, setting his residence ablaze, and damaging vehicles. The event unfolded yesterday, December 4, at 8.30am when Deputy Superintendent of Investigation, Nattakon Chanlod, received a report concerning a foreign individual behaving erratically in Nongprue.
The man, identified as 38 year old Andrew, was said to be in a frenzied state, threatening to destroy property and ignite his home.
Upon arrival, police discovered a black Ford Everest and a blue and white Honda Click motorcycle damaged in front of the residence. Andrew, completely unclothed, menaced the police with threats.
“If you come near me, I’ll set fire to my house.”
Despite police efforts to de-escalate the situation, Andrew rushed inside, resulting in a scene of turmoil. Moments later, smoke and flames emerged from the house.
The police promptly contacted the Nongprue Municipality fire department and requested additional patrol support. As the fire truck arrived, Andrew emerged from the burning house.
A confrontation ensued, leading to a struggle with law enforcement. Eventually, police were able to subdue him and transport him to Banglamung Hospital for treatment of cuts and burns.
A resident and neighbour, a 56 year old woman, disclosed that Andrew, along with his Thai spouse and two children, had been tenants for approximately five to six months. She mentioned that Andrew had been diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder, which sometimes turned violent if he neglected his medication.
Recently, his behaviour had become more unstable, culminating in the morning’s destructive episode.
A village security guard recounted seeing Andrew’s wife fleeing the house and taking refuge at the guard post. The guard witnessed Andrew attempting to damage the vehicles and noted that he appeared unresponsive to any attempts at communication.
When the police arrived, they endeavoured to negotiate with him, but Andrew dashed back inside and set the house on fire.
CCTV footage documented the sequence of events, capturing Andrew naked and using a steel grate to damage the vehicles before the fire erupted. The fire department arrived by 8.56am, and police managed to overpower Andrew and escort him from the premises, reported The Pattaya News.
Police intend to have medical professionals assess Andrew’s mental health before contemplating any legal proceedings. They also plan to collaborate with Chon Buri Immigration to scrutinise his visa and legal status in Thailand.
