A 27-year-old man has been detained after an ATM outside a factory in Chachoengsao was set on fire shortly after midnight on 22 August. Police say the man told them he acted following an argument with his pregnant girlfriend and wanted to be sent to prison. The blaze damaged the bank ATM outside Wisdom Auto Part Co Ltd on Suwinthawong Road, inbound towards Chachoengsao town, in Moo 5, Wang Takhian subdistrict, Mueang district. Police named the suspect only as Natthawat, 27. Lieutenant Colonel Wanchai Prathom, acting deputy superintendent for prevention and suppression at Mueang Chachoengsao Police Station, and Police Major Phatthana Langfak, the station's prevention and suppression inspector, led officers to detain him. Fire outside factory could not be initially contained When officers arrived, flames were burning intensely around the ATM. Factory security guards had attempted to put out the fire with extinguishers, but were unable to contain it because it spread quickly. A fire engine from Wang Takhian Subdistrict Administrative Organisation later arrived and firefighters brought the blaze under control using water. Suspect describes argument and claimed motive Natthawat, who police said appeared dazed during questioning, told officers he had hired a vehicle from Bangkok to visit Luang Pho Chet, the abbot of Wat Thawin Silamongkhon, which is not far from the scene. After meeting the monk, he said he walked to the front of the factory to rest and telephoned his girlfriend, who is pregnant. The pair argued, and he claimed she challenged him and told him she wanted him to go to prison. He told police he then decided to retaliate by setting fire to the ATM. According to his account, he collected rubbish from a nearby bin, placed it inside the machine and used a lighter he was carrying to ignite it. The suspect also claimed he had earlier considered robbing a gold shop, but decided against it because it was late. He said he instead set fire to the ATM because he wanted to be jailed. Officers said a search found no drugs on Natthawat. However, they found a lighter and a pipe used for taking drugs. Police took him to Mueang Chachoengsao Police Station to calm down before conducting a urine test for narcotics. Investigators question him further, gather evidence and proceed with legal action. Pictures courtesy of Amarin Join the discussion? 23 August 2026
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