News Forum - Australian man dies in police detention in Phuket, Thailand

[Thaiger]

An Australian man died inside the detention room at Patong Police Station in Phuket, southern Thailand. Police say that he hanged himself with the rope from his shorts, reports KhaoPhuket. Police said that 31 year old Matthew Michael Winder of Australian nationality was found dead inside the detention room at 12.45pm, having been arrested for being …

The story Australian man dies in police detention in Phuket, Thailand as seen on Thaiger News.

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[TomSF]

Very sad story.

[Fanta]

22 hours ago, Thaiger said:

The officers on duty went out for lunch at 11.30am and left Winder alone. When they returned, they found that Winder had committed suicide, they said

These cells have video cameras for ensuring prisoners safety. Whoever is responsible for  the cells needs to be held accountable for this dereliction of duty. 

[BillO]

Those must have been some darn big pants to have a string long enough to hang himself. Oh wait now it’s his t-shirt? Ok lots of reasons here to be suspicious. Let’s see the video. 

[ChrisS]

I wonder in Patong if it is normal for a Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent to attend in a case of a drunk kicking off? Is it normal procedure to leave a drunk/drugged/mentally unstable prisoner unattended with no checks in a custody room? If there are cameras in these detention rooms 'for prisoners safety' then is there no one with responsibility for monitoring them? Was the whole building left unattended whilst these two officers 'went for lunch'? How long were they out for lunch?

Whilst it seems clear that either custody rules are non existent or completely ignored there is definitely a smell of something not right/cover up to this story. I hope the Aussie embassy push for full disclosure on this.