A nextdoor neighbour and friend broke into his home on Monday night after being asked to check on the man by his ex-girlfriend. The Chief of Police in the area has warned the public to exercise caution using smartphones with headsets.
A Thai football fan is believed to have been killed in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya through the use of his smartphone and head sockets which were connected to the electricity mains as he relaxed in bed.
A 35-year-old Thai man was found dead on Monday night lying on his bed in circumstances police suspect to have been caused by his smartphone being connected to the electricity mains through an extension device.
Supkehet Sraaboon was described by friends as an enthusiastic sportsman who liked to play soccer with local teams nearly every night.
He was found wearing a black and gold Manchester United shorts and is believed by police to have just returned from playing football.
Man’s body was found with headset plugged in and cable across his chest lying on his bed
The man’s body was found in a bloated condition with earphones still plugged in and the headset cable lying across his chest.
Mr Saraboon had not been seen since the end of last week and was only found when two of his neighbours including a close friend, broke into his house looking for him.
Had not heard from a friend in three days
36-year Surawut Sukpanya said his friend had failed to answer texts he had sent him inviting him to have dinner together.
‘We had not heard from him for more than three days, which was unusual. His ex-girlfriend then texted me to visit him,’ he told reporters. ‘So I went to his house and found no one. Another neighbour and I decided to break into his house, then we found him dead.’
Post mortem ordered on the body
Rescue workers called to the home to examine the scene and then took the body of Mr Saraboon away. A post mortem has been ordered to specify the cause of death.
Police confirmed that there are no suspicious circumstances involved in the death of Mr Supkehet
However, police say there are no suspicious circumstances and they believe that the young man died as a result of misusing his smartphone.
The Chief of the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya police, Colonel Surapong Thammapitak, confirmed this to the media: ‘There are no suspects involved with the death, so we believe it is an accident caused by the phone.’
The senior officer did, however, have a warning for the public in Thailand: ‘People need to be careful when they are using headphones and charging their phone at the same time.’
Consistent reports of such incident with the surge of smartphone use in Thailand in the last decade
Following the surge in smartphone use in Thailand in the last decade, there have been regular and consistent reports of fatal accidents involving the use of smartphone devices often linked to their direct connection to the mains.
17-year-old girl found dead in Chaiyaphum
The overuse of extension leads in Thailand is also commonplace.
In Chaiyaphum province on November the 1st last, a 47-year-old mother, Boonpeng Tuponchai, came home to find her 17-year-old daughter, motionless and dead in her bed while still holding her smartphone connected to the mains.
Investigating police officers on that occasion blamed an old extension lead unit for the accident.
In the same month, a 40-year-old restaurant cook, Somchai Singkhorn, was found dead at home after failing to report to work.
He was also found dead using a smartphone headset with burn marks on his arms and neck.
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Further reading:
17-year-old Thai girl electrocuted by her smartphone in Chaiyaphum province last Friday
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