Civil Servant Takes Own Life in Car Amid Disciplinary Probe

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture from responders.

 

A Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) civil servant took his own life inside his car on the evening of 8 January. The incident occurred at a car park near a restaurant in Soi Yothin Phatthana 3, Sub-soi 9, Khlong Chan Subdistrict, Bang Kapi District.

 

Police Captain Ekkapoj Manee of Lat Phrao Police Station was alerted to the incident at approximately 20:30. Forensics officers, a forensic pathologist from the Police General Hospital, and Poh Teck Tung Foundation rescue staff were dispatched to the scene.

 

At the scene, a black Toyota Camry (registration from Bangkok) was found parked. Inside the car, the lifeless body of Mr. Noppin aged 47, was discovered seated in the back right seat. A gunshot wound to the right temple, with the bullet exiting the left side, was evident. A Sig Sauer P365 semi-automatic pistol, 9mm calibre, was found between his legs.

 

A handwritten farewell note was also found in the car, addressed to his family, partner, and child. According to the deceased's partner and friends, he had been suffering from depression and work-related stress. Mr. Noppin had recently been under investigation by a disciplinary committee for alleged misconduct.

 

Further investigation revealed that Mr. Noppin had been reassigned from his previous role as Head of General Administration at the Sports Division, under the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, to a general administrative officer role in the Bangkok Governor's Office. The reassignment, effective 23 July 2024, was part of an order signed by Bangkok's Permanent Secretary Wanthanit Wathana, which also involved the transfer of three other civil servants.

 

Police are currently gathering witness statements, including accounts from relatives and colleagues, and reviewing CCTV footage from the area. The body has been sent to the Police General Hospital for a post-mortem examination as part of the ongoing investigation.

 

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 out help.

 

-- 2025-01-10

 

 

[Georgealbert]