Suspect held after body pulled from Benjasiri Park pond

Police say quarrel between two homeless men resulted in one being thrown into water

A homeless man was arrested on Saturday morning after another man was found dead in a pond at Benjasiri Park in Klong Toey district of Bangkok.

The suspect reportedly confessed that he had thrown the victim into the water after 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.

As officers held up tarpaulins to block the view of a crowd of bystanders that had gathered, a diving team searched the water and recovered the body.

The man was found shirtless, wearing only black shorts and carrying no identification documents, officers said.

According to Thonglor police, security camera video showed the man fighting with another person before being thrown into the water.

Investigators were able to identify and arrest the suspect, identified as Thaweesak Phanngam, 38. Both he and the victim were homeless, police said.

According to CH3 News, motorcycle taxi drivers at the park said the two men had been seen together there for some time.

A security guard told reporters the two had been sleeping near the park regularly for three or four weeks before becoming friends, sometimes going out to beg together. They usually drank outside the park grounds before returning to sleep near the park.

The guard added that the deceased had earlier caused problems inside the park, allegedly committing indecent acts on three occasions within two days.

Police said Mr Thaweesak 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.

He said the deceased became uncontrollable, so he threw him into the water, hoping he would calm down. He fled after seeing the victim lose consciousness.

Thonglor police brought Mr Thaweesak before the Bangkok South Criminal Court for detention on charges of intentional homicide.

Investigators opposed bail, and no relatives came forward to request bail during the initial stage.