A 21 year old man set himself on fire on a busy Bangkok road, shocking students and commuters as bystanders rushed to extinguish the flames and call for help.
CCTV footage released around 10am shows the man, engulfed in flames, running from a bus stop in front of the Land Development Department. Terrified students fled as he stumbled into the road, colliding with a motorbike beneath the Sena Nikom BTS station.
Passers-by rushed to help. A motorist pulled over and tried to smother the flames with cloth from his car, while a nearby security guard sprinted across the street with a fire extinguisher. Within 2 minutes, the fire was out, and rescue workers arrived to transport the man to the hospital.
At the scene, investigators discovered a 6-litre yellow fuel container and a lighter, believed to have been used to start the blaze. Fire-retardant chemicals covered the pavement where the flames had been extinguished.
Witnesses described the moment with disbelief. Miang, a motorcycle rider waiting nearby, said two female students ran towards him in tears after seeing the man pour petrol over himself and ignite it.
“I was shocked and scared because I had never encountered anything like this before. It was like something out of a movie.”
Wee, a 47 year old security guard who helped extinguish the fire, recalled: “When I sprayed him with the extinguisher, he was still alive and moving, but his body was covered in burns and his clothes were almost gone.”
Police Colonel Marut Sudnongbua, Superintendent of Phahonyothin Police Station, confirmed the victim’s age and said he remained unconscious but alive when admitted to the hospital.
“Family members suspect the incident was linked to a relationship with his girlfriend, which may have caused him distress.”
Locals told police the man had been seen talking on the phone shortly before the incident and appeared agitated, reported Amarin TV.
Officers are now waiting for his condition to stabilise before conducting further interviews with him and his relatives.
If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. Seek help.
The story Man on fire: Bangkok commuters left stunned as horror unfolds as seen on Thaiger News.
