BANGKOK, Thailand – A homeless man was arrested on Saturday morning after another man was found dead in a pond at Benjasiri Park in Klong Toey district, with the suspect reportedly confessing that he had thrown the victim into the water following a quarrel over the latter’s behaviour. Police and rescuers were called to the scene late Friday night after receiving a report that someone had fallen into the pond at the 11-acre park located on Sukhumvit Road, and a diving team searched the water and recovered the body, which was found shirtless, wearing only black shorts and carrying no identification documents.

Chiang Mai Homeless Man ‘Confesses’ to Three Brutal Killings

According to Thonglor police, security camera footage showed the man fighting with another person before being thrown into the water, enabling investigators to identify and arrest the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Thaweesak Phanngam, with both the suspect and victim being homeless, according to police. Motorcycle taxi drivers at the park told local media that the two men had been seen together there for some time, and a security guard confirmed that the two had been sleeping near the park regularly for three or four weeks before becoming friends, sometimes going out to beg together and usually drinking outside the park grounds before returning to sleep near the park.

The security guard added that the deceased had earlier caused problems inside the park, allegedly committing indecent acts on three occasions within two days. Police said the suspect admitted to quarrelling with the victim, claiming the latter behaved indecently toward tourists in the park and he did not want him sleeping there anymore, and that the deceased became uncontrollable, so he threw him into the water hoping he would calm down, fleeing after seeing the victim lose consciousness.

Homeless Man Killed in Multi-Vehicle Incident on Dark Udon Thani Highway

Thonglor police brought the suspect before the Bangkok South Criminal Court for detention on charges of intentional homicide, with investigators opposing bail and no relatives coming forward to request bail during the initial stage. The case has drawn attention to the challenges facing Bangkok’s homeless population and the potential for conflict in public spaces, as authorities continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.

-Thailand News (TN)