Man gassed in Phuket pickup – but cats survive

A 42-year-old man found dead in his pickup truck parked near the Prince of Songkhla University, Phuket Campus, probably died from carbon monoxide poisoning, police say.

Amazingly, two cats in a cage on the back seat survived with no apparent ill effects.

Police were called to the scene at 4:45pm yesterday (January 26) after local people spotted the man slumped in the truck with the engine running and all the doors shut, though not locked. The AC was set at maximum.

Rescuers took the lifeless body of the man, identified later as Niwat Sathon, to Vachira Phuket Hospital for further examination. They found no signs of foul play and said they estimated that Mr Niwat had been dead for at six to eight hours.

Locals said they never seen him before but had noticed him drive to the area and park, leaving the engine running and apparently taking a rest. No one paid any particular attention, believing that he might simply be tired after a long drive.

“We became concerned after some time passed and he was still sleeping in the car, so we checked on him though the window and when we couldn’t rouse him we called the police,” said one resident.

Police said, “We believe the victim succumbed to poisoning by carbon monoxide that had leaked from the exhaust into the car while he was asleep. He would have died from lack of oxygen.”

Phuket News

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