Student Admits Carelessness After Accidentally Throwing Phone Away
A 19-year-old student in Udon Thani admitted he carelessly discarded his iPhone 13 in a trash bin, which a homeless man later found and attempted to sell before police intervened. The student initially filed a complaint but dropped charges
A 19-year-old student has admitted he carelessly threw his iPhone 13 into a trash bin while disposing of garbage at his dormitory on Prom Prakay Lane in Mak Khang subdistrict, Mueang district, Udon Thani province. A 39-year-old homeless man named Noppol found the phone and was later spotted at Por Sri market attempting to remove the SIM card and sell it. Angry at discovering the man tampering with his phone, the student initially filed a theft complaint, while the homeless man claimed he had simply found it in the trash, not stolen it.
Deputy Superintendent Sataporn Satwadee of Mueang Udon Thani Police Station took Noppol into custody. Public reaction to the incident was harsh, with the student facing severe online criticism, though some people even offered to hire a lawyer for the homeless man. The student later visited Mueang Udon Thani Police Station and revealed what had actually happened. He admitted his carelessness in throwing the phone away, and explained that he initially wanted to pursue charges because the man had removed the SIM card and attempted to power off the device. However, he ultimately decided not to file charges.
The student stated: "I am now facing severe online backlash and criticism. I am very stressed and cannot sleep, so I have had to take sleeping pills. I ask for your understanding and for people to stop attacking me. My initial intention to file charges was because he removed my SIM card and tried to turn off the phone, but in the end, I decided not to pursue it because the police found methamphetamine in a urine test."
In closing, the student expressed gratitude to those who understood his situation. He emphasized that no one intentionally throws away a phone, even if they forget it—they will search for it. He is not wealthy and had to save up to buy the phone. He said that those criticizing him are not wrong, but he hoped they would understand that forgetting things happens to everyone. He reiterated that he did not press charges and that the police are handling the drug-related case instead.
