SOURCE: Pattaya Daily News: August 28th 2008

MAJOR DRUGS DEALER HANGS HIMSELF IN PRIVATE CELL

At 04.00, on August 27th, 2008, Pol.Lt.Col.Winit Phan-argard, Chonburi, was notified by police sergeant that a suspect had hung himself in a prison cell. Pol.Col.Wanchai Akapornpitch, superintendent and Doctor Supot Puanglamyai, forensic laboratory, Chonburi hospital, inspected a deceased body of Mr. Manop Bpothong (44), a drugs dealer suspect from Bangkok, who had hung himself with his short sleeves shirt on the iron bar and found no foul play.

According to the investigation - On August 26th, 2008, Mr. Manop was arrested for drugs trafficking after Chonburi police had detected the information and pretended to buy the drugs from him, by making an appointment for the drugs delivery on the side of Bypass road, in front of PTT petrol station, Moo 2, Baan Nork Karng Kork, Baan Suan, Chonburi,

Mr. Manop came by a bronze Chevrolet car, license No. 5713, Bangkok, to deliver 20,500 Yah Bah tablets (amphetamine). As soon as police had identified to arrest, Mr. Manob was alarmed and immediately drove away, but police managed to follow and arrest him with the evidence and finally put him in jail.

Pol.Lt.Col.Chinchote Senajak, said that Mr. Manop was imprisoned in a private cell. Presumably, while the other prisoners were asleep, he took a chance to hang himself with his shirt, in order to escape from the quilt in selling more than 20,000 Yah Bah tablets. The details of the case would be clarified, and besides, there would be a committee to investigate related police officers, to complete the file of the case.

On the same day, Mr. Pracha Tae-rat, Chonburi Mayor, with Pol.Maj.Gen. Kosol Pua-wes, deputy commander in chief section 2, joined to publish the news of the arrest of 3 drugs dealers.One of them was Mr. Manop Bpothong (44), who had hung himself in a private cell of Chonburi jail at 4am. And other 2 suspects were Mr. Wattana Kongthaworn (53), Ex-frontier police from Lopburi province and Mr. Kamolthip Suwannirote (33), from Patumthani province.

Mr. Pracha Tae-rat, revealed that, earlier, police investigating team had detected of a major drugs dealer, selling Yah Bah to tourist, student and teenager in the area then planed to trap them by purchasing the drugs and managed to arrest Mr. Wattana with the evidence of 500 Yah Bah tablets.

Police had extended the case and managed to arrest Mr. Manob (who had hung himself in private cell) and Mr.Kamolthep with the evidence of 37,000 Yah Bah tablets, 2 cars, 4 mobile phones, 400,000 Baht cash and 4 bank books. Suspects confessed that they bought Yah Bah from Mr. Gee Plathong, who had already been arrested and put in a jail in Bangkok.

ESCAPE THE GUILT OF SELLING YABA.

What a load of bxxxxxxs,where do these reporters get the crap from.He hung himself because of life or maybe 25 years in jail.

Yes, the guilty conscience bit doesn't seem to be slowing down the

other few hundred thousand dealers. Always must have a little spin.

pathetic news reporting,trying to make the drug dealer honourable or something.Maybe the coppers tortured him and found out where the other tabs are then hung him,another suicide????

is there something in the water in pattaya ,everyone tops themselves..........

I only ever drink the bottled water here, soo you mean I may be the only one left here in Pattaya now. Hello, is there anyone out there???

How much did he have to pay for a private cell?

I was wondering that too basil.

All just a little too convenient him having a private cell.

I wonder if he was threatening to dish the dirt on someone influential and their links to the drug trade.

I would think it reasonable to suspect that the prisoner was addicted to Yaba and killed himself because the withdrawal pains were too intense for him to handle.

You've got wonder if the people writing (making up) stories at the Pattaya Daily News and Pattaya One News are on some of the strongest drugs known to man.

ya ba and withdrawal pains ? Are we talking heroin here or methamphetamine ? Cravings maybe, but withdrawal ? Don't think so.

.....details of the case would be clarified, and besides, there would be a committee to investigate related police officers, to complete the file of the case.

What does this mean? There were police involved? It also said he took a chance. Not much of a chance.

You've got wonder if the people writing (making up) stories at the Pattaya Daily News and Pattaya One News are on some of the strongest drugs known to man.

Surely you are not criticising the fine quality of the local news reporting ?!?!?! Be careful, lest the fine folks at a certain media "organization" threaten to sue you too !

So there is justice after all.

ya ba and withdrawal pains ? Are we talking heroin here or methamphetamine ? Cravings maybe, but withdrawal ? Don't think so.

You seem to have more experience with or knowledge about this, and I am quite willing to admit that I've never tried either ya ba or heroin, so I'll take you on your word that mine is not a reasonable speculation. I always got the impression that ya ba is a very (physically) addictive substance, and therefore one would likely be subject to painful withdrawl symtoms, but thank you for correcting me.

I wasn't under the impression that private jail cells were the norm in Thailand's fine custodial establishments, especially for drug dealers, or anyone else for that matter...

I also couldn't quite figure out the meaning of the final sentences of that report... I'm just guessing here...but I think...it may mean something like.. "We're going to take a very "thorough" look at how a guy managed to 'hang' himself while in police custody...."

Of course, they wouldn't want that happening again in Pattaya...to be sure...

There, but for the Grace of God, go many ThaiVisa contributors.

There, but for the Grace of God, go many ThaiVisa contributors.

Huh ? Surely you're not suggesting that many TV contributors are actually drug dealers that would opt to hang themselves while in police custody rather than face a lengthy prison term ?