A woman who allegedly cut the support rope for two painters in a high-rise condominium in Nonthaburi confessed to the crime and turned herself in to police on Wednesday.
The suspect, a resident in the 32-story condo, said she was “angry” because she was not informed about the handymen’s work in the building and cut their rope, leaving them hanging above the 26th floor until they were rescued, the police reported.
The incident occurred two weeks ago, on October 12, but the woman initially denied being responsible. On Wednesday, when investigators gathered eyewitness accounts, forensic evidence, and CCTV footage, she confessed but claimed she had not intended to kill the painters.
A video clip posted on social media showed workers asking the 26th floor’s residents to open the window and let them in.
According to one painter, a Myanmar resident named Song, he and the pair had come down from the 32nd floor to repair a crack in the building. When he reached the 30th floor, he noticed that the rope got heavier, looked down and saw someone on the 21st floor cutting their rope through an opened window.
Praphaiwan Setsing, another condo resident, saved the painters. She said her British husband noticed a man was hanging and asking for help and called her to talk to them.
“This incident is shocking and should not happen at all,” Praphaiwan said.
The condominium’s management and painters reported the incident to the police. Officers sent the severed rope to investigators for DNA and fingerprint analysis.
Later, on Wednesday, the woman showed up at the police station alongside her lawyer.
Pol. Col. Pongjak Preechakarunpong, chief of the Pak Kret police station north of Bangkok, said the 34-year-old suspect faces attempted murder and property destruction charges.
She was temporarily released, but the police would file an indictment at the provincial court in the next two weeks, Pongjak stated.
If found guilty on an attempted murder charge, the woman could face a prison sentence of up to 20 years, Pongjak explained.
