Prisoner fakes his own death to escape cell in Pattaya, Thailand

An alleged thief faked his death yesterday in an attempt to escape his cell in Pattaya, Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand. However, the “dead” prisoner shot up like a bolt when suspecting rescue workers placed ammonia under his nose.

Yesterday, officers from Pattaya City Police Station arrested and detained 53 year old Sayan [surname withheld] under suspicion of stealing 50,000 baht.

Police tracked down Sayan and found him hiding inside a rented room with 40,000 baht. Police said Sayan had already spent 10,000 baht on his “mistress,” who was waiting for him inside the room.

Pol. Cl. Kongphol Dechakhamphu was on duty yesterday when the detainee faked his death. He said officers in the detention room notified him that Sayan was trying to hang himself.

Kongphol called an ambulance and the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation to the station, where they found Sayan “unconscious” with his neck tied to the bars of his prison cell.

Rescue workers began performing CPR on the prisoner but soon found that Sayan had a completely normal heart rate. Rescue workers from the foundation are accustomed to dealing with dead bodies every day so it is unlikely they would fall for a fake death.

The rescue workers assumed it was a prison break ploy, so they placed ammonia underneath his nose. The prisoner shot up, startled from inhaling the ammonia. His escape plan was foiled.

Sayan proceeded to pretend to “faint” and “fall unconscious” again. He wouldn’t “wake up” no matter what, so rescue workers handcuffed the prisoner to a stretcher and transported him to Pattaya City Hospital. Four police officers accompanied Sayan to the hospital to ensure he didn’t make a break for it.

Pattaya Police said that the victim’s money was stolen on Tuesday, November 1. The police’s investigation led them to believe Sayan was the thief, so they waited outside Sayan’s girlfriend’s house and waited for him to arrive, but he never came, so they widened their search and found him inside the rented room.