A former Thai police chief, known for his collection of luxury cars and nicknamed “Joe Ferrari,” died by suicide in his Bangkok jail cell, according to an initial autopsy report. Thitisan Utthanaphon, who was serving a life sentence for torturing a drug suspect to death in 2021, was found unresponsive in his cell on Friday.
The suspect, a 24-year-old, died during an interrogation in 2021, where a video leaked online showed Thitisan and his colleagues wrapping plastic bags around the suspect’s head. This act sparked widespread outrage over police brutality in Thailand and has resurfaced on social media following Thitisan’s death.
Thailand’s justice ministry has called for an investigation into his death after his family expressed doubts about the suicide verdict. They claim that Thitisan was assaulted by prison staff and were not allowed to view his body. However, authorities have denied these allegations, stating that neither a prison officer nor an inmate was responsible for his death.
Thitisan’s wealth, including the ownership of at least 42 luxury sports cars, one of which is a rare Lamborghini Aventador Anniversario, raised questions about his source of income. As a police colonel, his monthly salary was approximately $1,000. There were allegations that he demanded bribes from the suspect in the controversial video before his death, which Thitisan denied.
Five other police officers involved in the murder of Jirapong Thanapat, the drug suspect, were also convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2022. The Department of Corrections has been investigating a complaint filed by Thitisan’s family about bullying and assault by prison officers earlier this year. Thitisan had also consulted doctors about anxiety issues and trouble sleeping.
His family visited him on the day of his death, and prison staff reported no unusual behavior. However, if you or anyone you know has been affected by the issues raised in this article, you can visit the BBC Action Line for support.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx20py1lvz8o
