A tragic incident occurred in Phatthalung where a 78-year-old man enclosed himself within a corrugated iron fence inside his home yard, dug a pit, set up an altar, and then set himself on fire. Relatives speculate on the motive and revealed that the deceased made a final phone call to them.
At 18:00 on 5 May 2026, Pol. Lt. Col. Somsak Rittisak, deputy superintendent of Na Khayad Police Station, received a report of a fire causing a death inside a house in Phanom Wang Subdistrict, Khuan Khanun District, Phatthalung Province. He and related officials went to investigate.
At the scene within the house’s yard about 30 meters from the main house, a pit surrounded by corrugated iron sheets was found. Inside, there was a table set with offerings and a paper with what appeared to be an apology message placed on the table. Inside the pit were ashes and bone fragments of the deceased, later identified as Mr. Khao, 78 years old, whose body was almost entirely burned except for parts of his feet.
A 49-year-old nephew reported that the deceased lived alone after separating from his family. He had one daughter who worked in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province. Lately, the deceased often felt hurt because his daughter rarely visited, especially over the recent Songkran festival. This is believed to have triggered the tragic event.
The deceased’s 64-year-old younger sister said that on the morning of the same day, he called her to come to his house, gave her the house keys, and said that if he could not be reached by evening, it meant he had died. He refused to let her enter the house, saying he had a headache and felt faint, and asked her to leave. They spoke again in the afternoon, and he said he was feeling better.
Meanwhile, nearby residents reported hearing a single sound like an explosion before seeing intense flames at the corrugated iron pit inside the yard. The fence was newly built about three days prior, suggesting the act was premeditated.
Initial inspection inside the house found a letter addressed to relatives pinned to the wall, detailing arrangements after death and listing phone numbers for Na Khayad Police Station and the emergency hotline 191. Additionally, a gallon of gasoline was found in front of the house.
Police have collected evidence and sent the remains of the deceased for detailed autopsy to proceed with legal actions.