Attempted murder suspect found dead in Thalang Police cell
Police said the deceased, identified as Siwat Phannikorn, was being held under a Phuket Provincial Court arrest warrant on charges of attempted murder and carrying a knife in public without reasonable cause.
An attempted murder suspect was found dead in a detention cell at Thalang Police Station in Phuket on May 15, police said. The man, identified as Siwat Phannikorn, was being held under a Phuket Provincial Court arrest warrant on charges of attempted murder and carrying a knife in public without reasonable cause.
Pol Lt Kriengkrai Daokrachai, deputy investigator at Thalang Police Station, said officers were alerted at about 12:17pm after the duty officer found the suspect unresponsive inside the cell. Senior officers, forensic police, a public prosecutor, district officials and a forensic doctor from Vachira Phuket Hospital joined the scene examination.
Cell evidence and witness accounts
Police said Mr Siwat was found seated after using a trouser drawstring to hang himself from iron bars inside the detention cell. An initial examination found no signs of assault or struggle, and investigators estimated he had died less than two hours before his body was discovered.
Three suspects were being held in the cell at the time, according to police. The two other detainees told investigators they had been asleep for about two hours before officers entered to provide food and found Mr Siwat in a secluded corner.
CCTV from the detention area reportedly showed all three men inside the cell at about 11am, with Mr Siwat appearing restless before moving alone into the corner where he was later found dead. Police said officers and detainees discovered the body at about 11:40am.
Arrest history and custody investigation
Police said Mr Siwat had been arrested on May 13 under Phuket Provincial Court warrant number 418/2569 in connection with an alleged stabbing attack on April 25. Officers also said he had a history of drug use and previous arrests for disorderly conduct and property damage.
Thalang Police said a full investigation was required because the death happened in police custody. The case was registered as post-mortem examination case number 52/2026, and police said continuous CCTV footage before, during and after the incident would form part of the investigation.
Police said the family did not object during the initial post-mortem examination.
Source: https://www.thephuketnews.com/attempted-murder-suspect-found-dead-in-thalang-police-cell-100241.php
