Ex-Officer's Son Sets Fire to House, Dies in Blaze
A retired military officer's son died in a house fire in Bangkok's Bang Phlat district after the family was evicted following foreclosure; the father says his son was distraught over being unable to care for 20 pets left inside.
At 1 p.m. on September 25, a retired military officer came forward to explain circumstances surrounding his son's fatal house fire in Bangkok's Bang Phlat district. The family of four had lived in the house until September 21, when Debt Enforcement Office staff posted a court order sealing the property and forbidding entry, forcing the family to scatter and live separately elsewhere.
The officer later learned his daughter had mortgaged the house for 50 million baht at an unknown time. The case went to court, a private company won the foreclosure case, and the court order was posted on the house. His son was emotionally attached to over 20 pets inside—cats, dogs, and an alligator—and attempted to feed them, but officials prevented him from entering to care for them, causing the son severe distress.
The officer said he did not understand what drove his son to this act, noting his son had no history of mental illness, drug abuse, or alcohol problems. He confirmed the war weapons and explosives found throughout the house were not his and he did not know where his son obtained them. He could not confirm whether the body found inside was actually his son's, as he had been unable to contact his son since September 24.
Police from Bang Phlat Station brought the officer in for questioning. Meanwhile, EOD units, metropolitan police, disaster prevention officials, and forensic teams from the central police headquarters inspected the scene to collect evidence, with the area cordoned off to the public.
