Briton Keeps Police At Bay For 4 Hours

Englishman keeps police at bay for 4 hours in suicide standoff

Dedicated officers prevent tragedy

PATTAYA: Cool headed and persevering local police officers stuck it out for 4 hours as they soothed, coaxed and cajoled 32 year-old Englishman Thomas Royston out of committing suicide. Severely distressed, Royston had locked himself in the bathroom of his Soi Day & Night apartment and attempted to slit his own throat.

Police received a call from concerned people at the South Pattaya apartment building. When officers arrived at the 4th floor apartment they found a small amount of blood on the floor. Royston had already wounded himself with a knife, had barricaded himself in a locked toilet, and was still in a highly agitated state.

For 4 hours the police patiently tried to calm the foreigner down and encourage him to give up the suicide attempt. Apparently Royston was upset at the fact that his boyfriend, identified as Narongchai Suriyayen, 29, was seeing someone else.

Determined police managed to contact the man’s partner and the incident ended with Royston being taken to hospital to be treated for his wounds.

The Englishman was also said to have taken medication prior to the incident which may have escalated his emotional state.

--Pattaya Mail 2004-02-13