Alcoholic suffering withdrawal symptoms stabs himself

Yesterday (Mar 1) at 7:10pm, Pol Capt Suchart Luecha, chief of Patrol Officer of Thalang Police was notified that there was a man who had stabbed himself at a house in Soi Na Nuea, Pa Khlok, Thalang.

Rescuers of Pa Khlok Subdistrict Administrative Organisation and police went straight to investigate the scene.

There they found Piyawat Hongbut lying on a wooden bed in the house with a knife about 30cm long protruding from his stomach just above his naval.

There was heavy blood loss as the wound was gushing with blood, police said. Officers had to secure the knife to prevent it from moving and causing further damage before the man was urgently rushed to Thalang Hospital.

A neighbour in the village, Boonthong Jompan, said that Mr Piyawat had a serious problem with alcoholism and that his relatives had tried to intervene on several occasions by taking him to hospital to seek help but to no avail and his problems persisted.

Mr Boonthong, 59, said that Mr Piyawat had decided to stop drinking using the cold turkey method but was clearly struggling as for the last three days he was seen continually hugging a rubber tree in a nearby rubber plantation that he owns.

“I think today the withdrawal symptoms of Mr Piyawat’s alcoholism got to such a desperate point that he used the knife to harm himself,” Mr Boonthong told police.

It was not clear whether Mr Piyawat stabbing himself was an attempt to take his life or a cry for help. At time of press there were no details disclosed as to the condition of Mr Piyawat.

If you or anyone you know is in need of emotional support and counselling, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand at their 24-hour hotline 02-113-6789 (English & Thai) or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai).