News Forum - Suspected thief electrocuted to death in Bangkok, Thailand

[Thaiger]

A Thai man was electrocuted to death sometime before 5am this morning on the side of a hotel in Bangkok in a suspected robbery. The hotel said they turn on electric wires during the night to prevent robberies. Lumphini Police Station received a report at 8am that a suspected thief had been electrocuted to death on the side of a hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 5. Authorities had to bring down his body which was stuck between the building and an external ventilation shaft on the second floor, about 10 metres above the ground. The police said the man’s right ankle […]

The story Suspected thief electrocuted to death in Bangkok, Thailand as seen on Thaiger News.

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[MischiefMaker]

Surely a non-lethal voltage would suffice as a deterrent ? Not sticking up for criminals but a death penalty for robbery doesn't really seem to be that appropriate.  

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

  On 9/5/2022 at 10:50 AM, Thaiger said:

deter potential thieves.

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Any warning signs? Otherwise it's just a death trap.

[Ramanathan.P]

The electric fence is 10 meters above the ground. And it did not go to the person who has been electrocuted. The person himself reach the hot fence on his own intention. However the intention needs to be established here. The hotel cannot be at fault, unless there is a law saying that installing electric fence require special permission from the authorities. Other wise the affected person is at fault. If a person climb up the electric pole and gets electrocuted by the overhead exposed wires, then the electricity board cannot be blamed for not installing insulated overhead wires. It is the fault of the person who is supposed not to reach there in the first place...... 

[Marble-eye]

  On 9/5/2022 at 10:50 AM, Thaiger said:

The hotel said they turn on electric wires during the night to prevent robberies.

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I had to laugh at this and not the demise of the unfortunate burglar but the innovative solution to deter burglars, and if they get past that line of defence they have anti-personal mines installed in all the corridors automatically timed to come on at 2100hrs.

[Sawarot]

  On 9/5/2022 at 12:03 PM, Marble-eye said:

I had to laugh at this and not the demise of the unfortunate burglar but the innovative solution to deter burglars, and if they get past that line of defence they have anti-personal mines installed in all the corridors automatically timed to come on at 2100hrs.

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I laughed too, at the apparent madness of installing live wires that can cause death... why not motion-triggered Gatling guns?

[SkipsPa]

  On 9/5/2022 at 12:24 PM, Sawarot said:

I laughed too, at the apparent madness of installing live wires that can cause death... why not motion-triggered Gatling guns?

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Nah, you'd have to keep purchasing more ammo! Lol

[Vigo]

  On 9/5/2022 at 11:55 AM, Ramanathan.P said:

The electric fence is 10 meters above the ground. And it did not go to the person who has been electrocuted. The person himself reach the hot fence on his own intention. However the intention needs to be established here. The hotel cannot be at fault, unless there is a law saying that installing electric fence require special permission from the authorities. Other wise the affected person is at fault. If a person climb up the electric pole and gets electrocuted by the overhead exposed wires, then the electricity board cannot be blamed for not installing insulated overhead wires. It is the fault of the person who is supposed not to reach there in the first place...... 

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Nonsense.  What if there is a fire and it being a typical Thai hotel with locked or blocked fire exits and a person trying to escape climbs onto these wires and suffers  the same fate?  What if a guest (inebriated or sober)  is locked out of his/her room and attempts to climb in and touches a live wire?  All of the scenarios I mention are legit and have occurred over the past 20 years. The difference being that these people did not encounter live wires. I recall one  Bangkok fire where residents  escaped a fire by climbing down the multi storey building. 

And yes, the power company in Thailand is obliged to install wires in a safe manner and that includes measures to discourage pole climbing. It's called being responsible. The building was not National Gold  Depository of Thailand.

[Viggen840]

  On 9/5/2022 at 11:55 AM, Ramanathan.P said:

The electric fence is 10 meters above the ground. And it did not go to the person who has been electrocuted. The person himself reach the hot fence on his own intention. However the intention needs to be established here. The hotel cannot be at fault, unless there is a law saying that installing electric fence require special permission from the authorities. Other wise the affected person is at fault. If a person climb up the electric pole and gets electrocuted by the overhead exposed wires, then the electricity board cannot be blamed for not installing insulated overhead wires. It is the fault of the person who is supposed not to reach there in the first place...... 

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Provided the hotel has posted warnings at ground level access points, the only one responsible for death or injury is the person affected. I love how we HAVE to use words such as 'alleged' and 'suspect/ed'; ten metres off the ground external to the building and he was not a FACT?

[Cabra]

The video shows a janky installation of electrified wires. No signage. It was a trap intended in kill. 

[Donald]

Well, there certainly will be opinions of all sorts on this. The death penalty for suspected robbery is indeed a little bit over the top, but I can understand the frustration of people feeling powerless against thugs and thieves that seem to be more protected by the law then their victims. I recall a friend of my wife who got robbed several times and shot someone who was stealing the battery of his tractor. It turned out to be a minor who was seriously injured and my wife's friend had to do jail time. As it is, it ruined him financially and morally. So maybe if the legal system would work better people wouldn't feel the need to take matters in their own hand.

[palooka]

  On 9/5/2022 at 11:55 AM, Ramanathan.P said:

The electric fence is 10 meters above the ground. And it did not go to the person who has been electrocuted. The person himself reach the hot fence on his own intention. However the intention needs to be established here. The hotel cannot be at fault, unless there is a law saying that installing electric fence require special permission from the authorities. Other wise the affected person is at fault. If a person climb up the electric pole and gets electrocuted by the overhead exposed wires, then the electricity board cannot be blamed for not installing insulated overhead wires. It is the fault of the person who is supposed not to reach there in the first place...... 

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Ahh western logic applied to a Thai problem. 

All wrong, the family of the dead man will be paid a sum of money in compensation (50,000 Baht going rate).

Someone dies even if in the wrong someone must pay. TIT

[DiJoDavO]

At least their goal has been reached. No one will ever try to rob this hotel anymore. 

[HolyCowCm]

Well he won’t be doing that again. Quite common for monkey thief’s. Years ago in Bangkok almost had one come in my window. 

[ChrisS]

I see no problem with the electric deterrent but WITH warning signs. I suspect this being Thailand they didn't bother with the warning signs and that will no doubt cost them.

[longwood50]

In the USA one man had a cabin in the wooded area of Michigan.  The cabin was routinely burglarized and vandalized.  Finally the man in frustration rigged a shotgun that would fire if a person was inside and accidentally hit a trip wire.  The man was shot but not killed.  He went to court plead guilty to breaking and entering and then sued and won a huge judgement from the cabin owner for causing his injuries  That was despite the fact that the home had extensive warning signs that the home was rigged and that a person entering could be injured or killed.