Drug addict found dead in Chon Buri police station cell
Man discovered hanging in holding cell hours after being detained
A drug suspect was found dead in a Chon Buri police cell after being arrested following his mother’s plea for help over his increasingly violent behaviour.
The 26 year old suspect, Thorntep Kaewsee, allegedly took his own life using a T-shirt, hanging himself from the iron bars inside his solitary confinement cell at Bowin Police Station.
His mother, 61 year old Sanong Kaewka, had called local officials on Tuesday, September 23, out of fear for her safety. She reported that Thorntep, a long-term methamphetamine user, was displaying paranoid and violent behaviour, demanding large sums of money to fund his addiction.
Police, accompanied by the village headman, arrived at Thorntep’s home around 4.30pm and found him actively using drugs in his bedroom. Officers seized seven meth pills and associated paraphernalia before taking him into custody.
Due to his erratic state, Thorntep was placed in a separate cell to avoid any confrontation with other detainees, including several migrant workers being held in a nearby unit.
During a routine check at around 4.20pm on Wednesday, September 24, officers discovered Thorntep unresponsive. Emergency personnel were called, and an immediate investigation was launched. CCTV footage confirmed no one else entered his cell, and no signs of foul play were found on his body.
Sanong said that her son’s behaviour had deteriorated significantly in the past three months, with his daily drug-related demands escalating from 300 baht to as much as 5,000 baht. On the day of his arrest, he had demanded money under the pretext of repairing a mobile phone. She could only give him 3,000 baht, which further fuelled his aggression.
In a final effort to defuse the situation, she lured her son outside by claiming she had left cigarettes for him, allowing police to detain him without resistance.
Investigators believe stress, coupled with severe drug-induced paranoia and the emotional fallout from being reported by his mother, may have driven Thorntep to take his own life, reported The Pattaya News.
The man’s body has been sent to the Institute of Forensic Science for a post-mortem examination, and relatives have taken his remains to Bueng Rachawas Temple for religious rites.
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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