Police Officer’s Suicide in Pattaya Police Flats

[Georgealbert]

 

 

A police clerk stationed in Pattaya was found dead in an apparent suicide at the Bang Lamung Police Station flats, reportedly driven by financial and personal issues. The deceased, identified as Pol. Sgt. Maj. Peeraphat Rasriratna, was a 30-year-old officer in the Prevention and Suppression Division, who had been recently assigned as the station's daily clerk.

 

The incident was reported to Bang Lamung Police Chief, Pol. Col. Navin Sinthurat, at around 17:30 on November 6. Along with Chonburi Provincial Police Commander, Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatkiat Jindakornsanuang, forensic officers from Chonburi, and a rescue team from Sawang Boriboon Foundation, authorities quickly arrived at the scene to investigate.

 

At the fourth-floor police residence bathroom, officers discovered Sgt. Maj. Peeraphat with a fatal gunshot wound to the right temple. A 9mm pistol, believed to be the weapon used, was found beside his body. Forensic teams collected evidence at the scene.

 

Initial interviews with close contacts revealed that Peeraphat had come to the room, which belonged to a younger officer, and shortly after entering the bathroom, a gunshot was heard. Investigators suspect suicide, likely due to financial strain. Peeraphat reportedly confided in colleagues that he had recently taken a two-million-baht loan from a cooperative, leading to severe financial stress.

 

Additionally, Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatkiat noted that the officer had recently gone through a difficult separation from his wife about a month ago and was adjusting to life as a single father. This combination of financial and personal hardships may have contributed to his distress.

 

Peeraphat's sister, Ms. Paweena Ho Prasert, aged 42, who arrived at the scene, described him as a quiet individual who kept to himself and was dedicated to his work. She expressed that she was unaware of the full extent of his struggles or what ultimately led him to take his own life.

 

The incident underscores the pressures faced by police officers in their personal lives, and authorities are investigating further to understand the factors that contributed to this tragic event.

 

If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai) or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress or depression. Seek help.

 

Picture from responders.

-- 2024-11-07