Chonburi Man with Mental Illness Apprehended After Car Vandalism and Police Standoff

PHOTO: TMN Cable TV Pattaya

Chonburi —

A Thai man exhibiting signs of mental illness was apprehended in Ban Bueng municipality on Wednesday after vandalizing cars and engaging in a tense standoff with police.

The incident, which began with the suspect (name withheld due to his psychiatric condition), smashing car windows near a school, prompted authorities to deploy a coordinated response involving Ban Bueng police and the Chonburi Special Operations Unit.

The authorities arrived at the scene to find the suspect reportedly wielding a knife within his residence. Negotiations for his surrender stretched for several hours and were futile at the end. Eventually, officers breached the front door and charged the suspect from behind.

A search of his house uncovered two knives and a machete. During the search, the suspect displayed erratic behavior as he questioned the authenticity of the officers and justified his car window vandalism as self-defense against a perceived threat.

Following his apprehension, the suspect was taken to the Ban Bueng Police Station to calm down. Subsequently, his relatives were contacted to arrange his transfer for a psychiatric evaluation and treatment at a local hospital.