A 21-year-old university student dies after leaping from a Nonthaburi mall when caught upskirting, confessing to his mother that he was pressured by a secret online voyeurism ring at his university, sparking a police investigation into cybercrime networks.
A 21-year-old man plunged to his death on Friday evening at a mall in Nonthaburi after being caught filming under a woman’s skirt. The university student had used an Apple device to commit the act—known as “upskirting”—but panicked when the woman raised the alarm and security intervened. In a frantic attempt to escape, he leapt from the fourth-floor balcony, crashing to the ground below with fatal injuries. Moments before the jump, the man—identified as Mr. Punnapop —called his mother, confessed to his actions, and claimed he had been pressured by secret groups at his university. Police have now launched a full investigation into what looks like a wider ring of lurid voyeurism for sale on the internet.
A 21-year-old man has died after jumping from the fourth floor of a busy shopping mall in Nonthaburi. He had been caught secretly filming under a woman’s skirt and attempted to escape before officers could arrest him.
The shocking incident took place at Central Westgate Mall in Bang Yai district at around 7:40 p.m. on Friday evening. Witnesses described a chaotic and disturbing scene.
According to police, the deceased was a university student named Mr. Punnapop (surname withheld). He was reportedly using an iPad to film under a young woman’s skirt while on an escalator. She quickly noticed and immediately called for help.
Mall security detains voyeur suspect who panics and jumps from fourth floor before police can arrest him
As a result, mall security and patrol officers from Bang Yai Police Station responded to the call within minutes. They confronted and detained the suspect on the fourth floor near the escalator.
However, while the woman and security guards attempted to examine his iPad, the suspect panicked. He threw his black bag and tablet over the railing, then jumped to the ground floor. His body crashed into the tiled floor of the first-level food court.
Eyewitnesses said the fall was horrifying. Several shoppers screamed. Some began crying as they rushed to the scene. Others watched in shock, frozen by the sudden and violent act.
At approximately 8:30 p.m., reporters arrived to find emergency workers performing CPR on the man. He was lying in a pool of blood with a visibly broken ankle and head trauma.
Paramedics respond immediately but he died later in hospital from severe skull injuries and internal bleeding
Paramedics from Kasemrad Rattanatibeth Hospital responded urgently. Although CPR was performed on site, his condition was critical. He was transported to the hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.
Pol Col Siriphop Anusiri, superintendent of Bang Yai Police Station, confirmed the man’s death on Saturday. He said the suspect sustained a severe skull injury and internal bleeding.
Moreover, additional information emerged shortly after the incident. According to Channel 7, the suspect had called his mother just minutes before his fall. During that emotional phone call, he confessed to recording voyeuristic videos for some time.
His mother told reporters that her son admitted to filming under skirts at the university and in public places. Shockingly, he also revealed that he had joined a private online group that encouraged this behaviour.
Student tells mother he was coerced by secret online group to provide more voyeuristic content under threat
According to his account, group members coerced him into filming more content. They allegedly threatened to blackmail him if he failed to deliver new material. The student told his mother he felt trapped and afraid.
That final call was also a goodbye.
This revelation has added a disturbing layer to the case. It points to possible online exploitation, cybercrime, and coordinated voyeurism. Police say they will investigate the alleged group and examine the man’s devices for evidence.
Meanwhile, the woman involved in the mall incident was unharmed physically but deeply shaken. Security staff and mall personnel provided her with support and helped file a report.
Because the incident happened in a crowded area, panic quickly spread through the shopping centre. Security teams swiftly closed off the scene and began crowd control. They also assisted police in reviewing CCTV footage.
Horrified mall patrons recall the fall as security increases patrols and police review surveillance footage
One witness, who was eating in the food court when the man fell, said the sound was like a thunderclap. “I turned and saw him hit the floor,” she said. “People screamed. Some ran. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Another man who witnessed the fall described the moment as surreal. “He was on the fourth floor one second. Then suddenly, he was on the ground. It was terrifying.”
As a result of the incident, mall security has reportedly increased patrols, especially near escalators and restrooms. Management is cooperating with the police and has offered full access to surveillance footage.
This tragedy has sparked fierce online debate. Many have expressed outrage over the rise of voyeurism in public spaces. Some are demanding tougher penalties for offenders. Others are calling for immediate action.
Online exploitation is fueling voyeurism in public places, with young people coerced into illegal activity
In addition, in the last decade, there has been an explosive growth in online voyeurism. For instance, many would-be entrepreneurs use membership platforms, based in countries such as Russia, to host illicit material fetched from public spaces in Bangkok and other Thai urban centres.
In the meantime, others use the materials—sometimes at the same time—to victimise, particularly, young women. These schemes are successful because most Thai families are highly conservative, where virtue, modesty, and decorum are attributes expected from young women.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau have regularly arrested men for placing cameras in women’s toilets, while ‘upskirting’ operators are rife in Bangkok. Indeed, this is a whole new media sphere being exploited by people desperate to make fast cash. It is particularly driven by Thailand’s cash-starved economy, where people without financial resources spend more time online.
In addition, mental health advocates are calling for more support systems for students caught in online traps. This includes victims of blackmail—predominantly female—and those driving such schemes. They are using the internet to wield power over others and extract cash. Many young people, they argue, are vulnerable to manipulation, shame, and psychological distress.
Tragic incident shows how quickly digital pressure can push students into catastrophic decisions and death
This case is a grim example of how quickly one wrong decision can spiral into tragedy. A university student, reportedly under blackmail and legal pressure, made a devastating choice that ended his life in front of dozens of horrified witnesses.
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Police continue to urge anyone who suspects voyeurism, blackmail or cyber exploitation to come forward. They say public awareness is crucial in preventing similar incidents in the future.
As investigations proceed, the broader questions remain: Who else was involved? What online network pressured him? And how can society better protect victims—both those targeted and those sucked into becoming perpetrators?
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Further reading:
Upskirt threat to women in Bangkok leads to police warning as kingpin is arrested in Bangkapi raid
Chiang Mai man arrested for running a porn network with 1.5 million users. Images of famous people
Bang O sex pervert arrested by police in Bangkok admits to controlling and blackmailing teenagers
Songkhla police solve horrendous case which saw a 15-year-old girl raped and murdered on the road
22 year old arrested in Nonthaburi for the rape and extortion of up to 20 women he befriended online
Mother of raped and murdered nine-year-old girl calls for the death penalty after killer’s arrest
Sadistic murderer ‘Ice Metal Casket’ sentenced for rape of a woman at gunpoint in latest conviction
Evil struck a Thai island on Sunday when a local brutally raped and murdered a German woman
