Pattaya: A deranged foreign man wielding a knife held his wife and child captive before setting fire to their apartment in a condominium in central Pattaya, Chonburi province. Residents panicked and fled for their lives. Early yesterday morning, Pattaya City Police responded to an incident where a foreign national went berserk and set fire to his condo room in central Pattaya, Chonburi province. Flames were seen erupting from a room on the 4th floor, prompting the evacuation of occupants from the 7-story building. Firefighters spent approximately 20 minutes extinguishing the blaze.
According to Thai News Agency, inside the room were a 9-10 year old boy and his mother, Ms. Kewalin, 26 years old. The boy had a plastic bag over his head to protect him from inhaling smoke, while the mother was severely suffering from smoke inhalation. Both were rushed to the hospital.
The perpetrator was the child's husband and biological father, a man named Carl, approximately 50 years old, an Irish national. He was found agitated on the balcony when paramedics apprehended him. Carl was covered in smoke and exhausted, so he was taken to the hospital.
During questioning, Ms. Kewalin initially stated that before the incident, her husband was hallucinating, talking to himself, and walking around with a knife before locking her and their child in the room. He then used a lighter to set fire to items in the living room, causing a fire to spread.