Police Urge Embassy Cooperation to Tackle Mental Health Incidents Involving Foreigners

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

Police in central Bangkok have called for closer cooperation with foreign embassies in handling mental health incidents involving foreign nationals, amid a rising number of such cases in the capital.

 

Lumpini Police Station hosted a high-level meeting with representatives from 17 embassies at the Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel in Pathumwan district. Also in attendance were officials from the Immigration Bureau, Tourist Police, the Royal Thai Police Foreign Affairs Division, and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Homeless Protection Centre.

 

The gathering aimed to enhance coordination and emergency protocols as Bangkok continues to welcome large numbers of tourists and expatriates.

 

Police Colonel Yingyot Suwanno, Superintendent of Lumpini Police Station, said the meeting addressed growing challenges officers face when dealing with foreign nationals suffering from mental health crises, particularly those requiring hospitalisation or urgent psychiatric support.

 

As part of the discussion, embassy officials were presented with revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), designed to streamline communication and improve crisis response between embassies and local authorities.

 

Several past incidents were cited to illustrate the urgency of the matter:

 

• In February 2024, a Japanese woman experiencing a psychiatric episode commandeered an emergency rescue vehicle and fled to the Thonburi area. Police were forced to hire a private interpreter due to the embassy’s limited staffing at the time.

 

• Two separate security breaches at the US Embassy were also mentioned. In May and June 2024, an American and a Russian national each attempted to gain unauthorised access to the embassy grounds, one even leapt into the front pond. Poor coordination between embassy security and Thai police caused delays in both cases.

 

• On 20 March 2025, an elderly Polish man was discovered unwell outside a hotel. Police experienced significant delays due to communication issues with embassy officials, resulting in slow access to medical care.

 

A more successful outcome was achieved in a case involving a Belarusian national with a psychiatric condition, who damaged property and attacked individuals at a hotel in Sukhumvit Soi 1. Effective coordination with Somdet Chaopraya Hospital, a specialist psychiatric institution, allowed for prompt and appropriate intervention.

 

The meeting also reviewed an incident from 11 December 2024 in Phuket, where a Belarusian man became intoxicated, displayed aggressive behaviour, and resisted arrest. Authorities credited the smooth handling of the situation to clear SOPs and consistent adherence to legal protocols.

 

Bangkok police hope the newly introduced procedures will help prevent misunderstandings, reduce response times, and ensure that vulnerable foreign nationals receive the care they need while protecting public safety.

 

The initiative underscores the importance of cross-border collaboration in a city where international tourism and expatriate populations continue to grow.

 

-- 2025-04-08

 

[flyingtlger]

Sadly, I expect a lot more of these types of cases in the future, especially because many come to Thailand to retire because the cost of living is much less than their home country and they may not have relatives or close family members looking after them.....

 

 

 

[ikke1959]

Mental health??? I think a lot of locals need some help too, as I always experience that for example too loud partymusic will go to a higher level around 22.00 when people go to bed , or that many times you can read that Thais are being killed for nothing, but jealousy, greed, or don't get money and so on.. The few foreigners are not the problem

[ChrisY1]

The foreigners with mental health issues are extremely small....however among Thais, there are probably hundreds of thousands of mentally ill people.....why not fix them first?

[ikke1959]

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

The foreigners with mental health issues are extremely small....however among Thais, there are probably hundreds of thousands of mentally ill people.....why not fix them first?

Indeed in the airplanes they always first help yourself before you can help others.... Here in Thailand there is a lot of work to do for the netizens, but the foreigners are the culprits.. and than wondering why less come to retire or live in Thailand

[Gottfrid]

4 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Sadly, I expect a lot more of these types of cases in the future, especially because many come to Thailand to retire because the cost of living is much less than their home country and they may not have relatives or close family members looking after them.....

 

 

 

So, eating alone is a mental health issue for you? Does anything of what you posted have relevance to mental issues or illness?