A desperate man in Udon Thani tried to steal a gold ring to get arrested and escape life, tested positive for meth, shocking police and his family, exposing poverty, addiction, mental health struggles, alongside Thailand’s rising prison and suicide crisis.
A bizarre case out of Udon Thani on Thursday saw a 30-year-old man with a young wife and toddler deliberately get himself arrested—just so he could escape his life. Telling police he’d rather rest in a Thai prison than struggle outside, the man tried to steal gold from a shop, hoping it would land him behind bars. Officers, stunned by the story, drug-tested him on the spot. He came up positive for methamphetamine, earning himself an extra charge. Not long after, his 27-year-old wife showed up at the station, baby in arms, concerned for her husband.
A 30-year-old man in Udon Thani deliberately attempted to steal a gold ring—not out of greed, but despair. Mr. Tao, who lives with his 27-year-old wife and their three-year-old child, told police he wanted to be arrested and sent to prison. He believed jail would offer him the only form of rest he could afford.
The incident occurred at 4:30 PM on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at a well-known shopping centre in Udon Thani. Tao entered a gold shop on the third floor, posed as a customer, and asked to see a 2-salung gold ring worth ฿28,000. Then, after trying it on, he asked the staff, “If I walk out with this, will I be arrested?” Without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked away.
However, the escape was not part of the plan. Security guards and shop employees quickly caught up to him and detained him near the shopping centre’s ground floor. CCTV footage from inside the shop captured the entire incident. Tao made no attempt to resist arrest. In fact, he welcomed it.
Tao had tried another gold shop earlier and openly asked staff if stealing would lead to his arrest
Earlier that day, Tao had visited a different gold shop in the same mall. According to Mr. Duke, a salesperson at that store, Tao acted strangely there as well. “He asked the same thing—if he’d be arrested for walking out with the ring,” Duke said. “He tried it on, took it off, then left.” Although he didn’t steal anything from the first shop, he later succeeded in his attempt at the second one.
Ms. Nantanapat, the manager at the second store, recalled the moment clearly. “He asked me if he would be arrested. When I said yes, he walked out. We chased him, caught him, and he gave back the ring.” She believes he had no intention of escaping. “He just wanted to be arrested. He even told me to call the police.”
Once taken into custody, Tao explained everything to the officers at Muang Udon Thani Police Station. He said he was overwhelmed by financial burdens, family tensions, and feelings of failure. He revealed he owed ฿10,000 on his motorcycle and felt unable to support his wife and child.
Moreover, he harboured deep resentment toward his mother. Tao claimed she refused to give him six rai of land, despite him being her only son. He believed she intended to pass it on to her grandchildren instead. Her frequent criticism had left him feeling worthless and abandoned.
Tao told police prison was preferable to the stress and pressure of his life outside, with no way forward
According to Tao, life outside prison had become intolerable. “I’ve been in jail before. It was easier there,” he said. “Out here, it’s just constant pressure. I wanted to go inside and finally rest.”
In addition to his emotional struggles, Tao admitted to regular drug use. He said he took one to two methamphetamine pills a day and used the drug to cope with stress and alcohol use. He also described experiencing hallucinations and suicidal thoughts. A urine test confirmed the presence of methamphetamine in his system.
Police quickly moved to charge Tao with illegal use of a Category One narcotic. However, since the gold ring was returned and the store declined to file a complaint, no theft charges were pursued. Officers noted his prior conviction for theft in Chonburi, where he served time for accepting money on behalf of a friend.
Later that evening, Tao’s wife arrived at the police station, carrying their child and accompanied by the child’s grandmother. She was visibly shocked. “I thought he was joking when he said he would rob a gold shop,” she told police. “He said he was going to die or go to jail, but I never believed him.”
Tao’s wife said he seemed increasingly unstable but she never suspected he was using methamphetamine
She asked Tao if he cared about their daughter and questioned how he could be so reckless. Tao promised her that he would quit drinking, stop using meth, and never do anything like this again. He said he was the only one working and had reached a breaking point. His wife confessed she had only suspected he was drinking heavily, not using drugs.
According to her, Tao became increasingly stressed in recent months. He often talked about feeling trapped and blamed himself for not being able to provide for the family. That afternoon, he mentioned that he might rob a gold shop or kill himself. She dismissed the comment as a joke and went to pick up their daughter. Hours later, the police called her with the news.
Although the shop declined to press charges for the attempted theft, police proceeded with the drug-related charges. They also recorded the incident and added it to Tao’s criminal record. Officers said the decision not to file theft charges came after determining that Tao had no intention of permanently taking the ring and that no victim came forward.
Tao’s case, while unusual, is far from isolated. Across Thailand, many individuals are experiencing similar levels of despair. People burdened by low wages, rising debt, and unstable family lives are reaching breaking points. Often, these cases go unnoticed—until they explode into public incidents like Tao’s.
Thailand’s mental health crisis is deepening as rising suicide and prison rates signal national distress
Meanwhile, Thailand’s suicide and incarceration rates are both climbing. A seminar held in Bangkok on September 6, 2025, titled “Power to Life”, highlighted the worsening mental health crisis. Dr. Jumphot Promseetha, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Mental Health, revealed that four people attempt suicide in Thailand every hour. In 2024, the national suicide rate reached 7.89 per 100,000 people.
Equally concerning is the reversal of progress in prison population control. The previous Pheu Thai government had reduced inmate numbers from 400,000 to 280,790 by the end of last year. However, as of August 1, 2025, that figure had already climbed back to 300,246.
A significant portion of these inmates are drug users or non-violent offenders. Many, like Tao, see jail as a form of shelter rather than punishment. For some, prison offers regular meals, safety, and routine—things missing from their daily lives.
Tao’s case shows how poverty, addiction and untreated mental illness push people to seek prison for relief
Experts say Thailand is facing not only a drug problem but also a deeper mental health emergency. Public services are stretched thin. Mental health support is still limited in rural provinces like Udon Thani. Consequently, many people turn to substances or crime—not for gain, but out of desperation.
Tao’s case illustrates the tragic mix of poverty, mental illness and a faltering support system. Here is a man who would rather sit behind bars than struggle to survive outside. He sees prison as the only place left where he can rest his mind and escape his life.
Ex PM Thaskin reportedly has behaved as a model prisoner at Bangkok’s notorious Khlong Prem Prison
Underworld gambling den boss jailed for 14 years and 9 months after warning police he will die in prison
In the end, Tao may get what he asked for—a jail cell. But without access to treatment or counselling, his story is likely to repeat itself. Until Thailand addresses the underlying causes of these breakdowns—poverty, addiction, and lack of mental health care—there will be many more like Tao.
These are not just crimes. They are cries for help.
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Further reading:
Ex PM Thaskin reportedly has behaved as a model prisoner at Bangkok’s notorious Khlong Prem Prison
Thaksin stuns Bangkok’s political establishment by returning from Dubai ahead of his Tuesday hearing
Thaksin tells Pheu Thai leaders he will return on Monday to face Tuesday’s Supreme Court hearing
