Kiwi becomes another unfortunate ‘Pattaya Flying Club’ victim
A holiday in Pattaya turned into a nightmare for the family of a 36 year old Kiwi man who plunged to his death from a hotel balcony in the early hours this morning.
Pattaya police were alerted at approximately 6am today, August 29, to a shocking incident at a hotel near Beach Road in the Nong Prue subdistrict. Upon arriving at the scene, officers and rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation discovered the man’s lifeless body, which had landed on air conditioning units and electrical conduits of a neighbouring building after his fall from the 7th floor. He died instantly.
According to hotel staff, the man had been exhibiting erratic behaviour consistent with drug-induced hallucinations before the incident. Witnesses reported hearing him frantically shouting, “Help me!” in English moments before he took the fatal leap. Despite the staff’s attempts to calm him, the situation escalated rapidly. After the tragic event, they immediately contacted the police.
An initial investigation by police found no signs of physical assault or foul play. The man’s room was examined, and a video recording provided by hotel staff captured the chaotic moments leading up to his death. The footage has been retained as evidence.
The man’s identity remains undisclosed pending notification of his family by New Zealand police. His body has been transported to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital, where an autopsy will determine the precise cause of death, reported Pattaya News.
As Pattaya police continue their investigation, they are working closely with the victim’s embassy to relay the devastating news to his relatives.
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.
