British man, 37, dies in Phuket suicide plunge

PHUKET: A 37-year-old British man died in Phuket yesterday after falling from a five-storey apartment block in what police believe was an intentional suicide leap.

Thung Thong Police duty inspector Sakchai Chuyong received a report of the apparent suicide at 7:30am.

The name of the deceased was widely reported in the Thai media, but is being held by the Phuket Gazette pending confirmation of notification of next of kin.

According to reports, the Englishman fell to his death from the fifth-floor balcony of his rented room at the Patraburi Mansion, a student housing block located about 100 meters from the Prince of Songkhla University’s Phuket Campus in Kathu Municipality.

The suicide plunge was reported to police by the victim’s 27-year-old girlfriend, identified only as “Miss Yani”.

Miss Yani told police she had lived together in the room with the Englishman for about a month.

He had been unemployed for three or four months prior to his death and had spent much of his time looking for work, particularly as a teacher of English, she told police.

On the night before his leap, the man joined Miss Yani and some friends on a camping trip, during which they were to sleep on a beach in Koh Kaew.

But the Englishman told the group he wanted to go home early, leaving them to sleep on the beach and returning to his room.

As the campers were waking up at dawn the next morning, Miss Yani said, she received a text message on her mobile reading: “Please forgive me. I love you very much.”

Sensing something was wrong, she rushed back to the apartment to find the man standing and crying. He looked her in the eye and then suddenly jumped off the balcony to his death.

An initial examination of the body revealed the cause of death as a broken neck and head trauma.

Miss Yani immediately reported the death to the Thung Thong police, who have jurisdiction over Kathu Municipality.

Police say they initially believe the death was a suicide as there were no signs of foul play in the room.

The Englishman’s body was transported to Patong Hospital for storage until it can be claimed by next of kin.

Thung Thong Police have already notified the British Embassy of the death.

— Nation Breaking News