Police spent hours trying to get the lunatic UK man to respond and own up to his cowardly action. They discovered his Thai wife screaming in pain after escaping death when she was thrown from an 8th floor Rayong condo balcony on Tuesday. He was arrested at the scene and is being interviewed by Ban Chang police. They are awaiting an opportunity to interview the wife before a decision is made on criminal charges and his visa status.
A UK man was found kneeling on his balcony on Tuesday afternoon as police and rescue volunteers tended to his wife screaming in pain after he had violently thrown her off the balcony of their 8th-floor condo, near the sea, in the Ban Chang area of Rayong.
A cowardly 46-year-old UK man has been arrested by Ban Chang police in Rayong after a standoff lasting hours during which the man refused to come to the door of his apartment after throwing his wife off the 8th-floor balcony of Apartment 265.
Luckily for David Mitchell, his 56-year-old wife Sukanda was not killed after her fall was broken by the rooftop of the building opposite at the approximate level of the 7th floor.
Thai wife found on the ground screaming in pain with a fractured hip and dislocated arm after the fall
The Thai woman was, however, left screaming in pain. When later whisked to Ban Chang Hospital, doctors confirmed she had fractured her hip and dislocated an arm due to the fall.
Police from Ban Chang police station accompanied by Crime Suppression Divison police and officers with the Immigration Bureau responded to the scene accompanied by a local rescue unit.
Details were given on Wednesday by Police Major Narongsak Trairat, who is the Deputy Police Chief of Ban Chang.
Disturbed neighbours called the police describing an ‘insane’ foreigner quarrelling with his wife
He revealed that officers received calls about the disturbance at 2.30 pm. Worried residents at the scene overlooking the sea in Rayong province reported that the foreigner was arguing violently with his wife.
The police officer revealed witnesses reported that the UK man appeared to be ‘insane’ judging by his behaviour.
Woman told rescuers her husband threw her off the balcony as they treated her at the scene
His 56-year-old wife told rescuers, as she was being treated and readied to be placed on a stretcher, that her British husband had flown into a rage. During the course of a brawl between them, he had thrown her over the balcony.
The woman was extremely fortunate not to have fallen to her death.
She was fully conscious during the efforts by rescue volunteers to treat her and dispatch her swiftly to hospital.
Bare-chested and tattooed husband found kneeling and praying by police officers after they arrived
In the meantime, police discovered her husband bare-chested without a shirt, wearing an amulet and covered in tattoos, kneeling on the balcony from which he had flung his wife.
The man appeared to be concentrating on his prayers.
Police called on him to surrender himself but he ignored them.
After some hours, they located an acquaintance of the man who accompanied them to his door.
Police ordered the man to come out of the apartment with his arms raised as they stood guard
Police then stood guard outside the door of his apartment cautiously as an officer using a smartphone translator communicated with him in English while cameras filmed the scene.
They called upon him to come out with his arms raised as he was facing arrest.
After another prolonged period, the man finally opened the door allowing officers to enter.
He was arrested and taken to Ban Chang police station where he is still being questioned.
Frustrated that he could not return to the UK
He told police officers that he was frustrated at not being able to return to the United Kingdom.
Since the beginning of April, most outgoing flights to the UK have been cancelled as airlines have ceased flying into Thailand since all inward passenger flights were banned from April 4th.
This has now been extended until May 31st at the earliest.
Mr Mitchell claims that the Covid 19 lockdown has left him in a state of stress and that this had led him to quarrel and turn violent on his wife.
Intermittent flights available to some UK nationals
In the meantime, the UK embassy is notifying registered UK nationals of some intermittent flights departing from Thai airports catering to those in most need and on a selective basis.
However, it is understood that there are hundreds of thousands of foreigners still stranded in the kingdom living under a 10 pm to 4 am curfew and other restrictions such as the closure of all bars and entertainment venues together with a ban on alcohol which also looks like it will be extended well into May.
The Immigration Bureau has reported that the UK man who entered Thailand legally in recent months, has been among the UK tourists who have had their visas extended automatically until July 31st.
Nonetheless, a criminal charge or conviction may see Mr Mitchell’s visa status being withdrawn as one of the visa conditions is that the holder does not break the law in the kingdom.
Police seeking to interview Mitchell’s injured wife, her testimony will determine his fate
The 56-year-old woman is now being treated at a hospital for her injuries which are not life-threatening. Police are seeking to interview her as part of their investigation.
Mr Mitchell’s ultimate fate will depend very much on his wife’s attitude and testimony to the police.
He could be facing charges under Section 295 of the Thai criminal code for causing bodily harm or more seriously, a charge of attempted murder. The UK man could be facing up to 15 years in prison.
Either way, if police charge Mr Mitchell, it may be a long time before he ever flies back to Britain again.
Further reading:
UK Embassy in Bangkok makes contingency plans to help stranded British nationals get flights home
Bampot American sent for mental health review after suspect package alert near US Bangkok Embassy
Germans arrested for defying local authorities in Chiang Mai and removing Covid 19 checkpoint
City area popular with foreigners to be targeted by new lockdown measures in Pattaya from Tuesday
