Bang yai: A 21-year-old man died after jumping from a popular shopping mall in the Bang Yai area, following an incident where he was caught taking photos under a woman’s skirt. His mother revealed that her son had called her, admitting to taking the photos but claimed he was blackmailed and coerced into the act.
According to Thai News Agency, Punnapop jumped from the fourth floor of a well-known shopping center in Bang Yai District, Nonthaburi Province. He sustained severe injuries, including a large wound to the back of his head and a fractured right ankle. Despite efforts from the shopping center’s medical staff, who administered CPR and rushed him to the hospital, Punnapop later succumbed to his injuries.
Witness accounts from the scene, including that of 29-year-old Mr. Fang, indicated that he noticed the young man behaving suspiciously, holding an iPad in a manner aimed at taking inappropriate photos of a female student on an escalator. Mr. Fang and his friends attempted to question the man, who then tried to escape. They notified police and security, and upon reaching the fourth floor, the man admitted to his actions. Clips on his iPad showed similar photos involving other female students.
The young man appeared to be a university student, as evidenced by his attire and the student ID and textbooks found in his bag. He reportedly spoke incoherently, expressing shock and fear, and mentioned to Mr. Fang that it was his first time engaging in such behavior. After calling his mother to confess, he tragically chose to end his life.
Post-incident, Mr. Fang provided a statement to the police at Bang Yai Police Station, where he met the man’s mother. She disclosed that her son had been threatened by a secret group, forcing him to take the photos as part of a blackmail scheme. Before his death, he instructed her to care for herself and mentioned preparing a meal for her.
Pol. Lt. Col. Wiwat Kaewplu, Deputy Superintendent of Investigation at Bang Yai Police Station, revealed that initial examinations of the deceased’s iPad found evidence of two or three victims, although their identities remain unconfirmed due to unclear footage. Currently, no links to a secret group have been established, but investigations continue. Authorities are reviewing evidence from the scene and CCTV footage to uncover the true motive behind the incident and determine if threats were involved, highlighting a broader societal issue.