A Bangkok park drowning is a murder case after CCTV showed a man assaulted and thrown unconscious into a pond. Thavisak “Tom” Phanngam claims his frantic friend needed calming, but police charged him with premeditated murder and opposed bail in court.
A chilling park drowning became a murder case after CCTV showed a man assaulted and thrown into a Benjasiri Park pond. Thavisak “Tom” Phanngam admitted throwing his friend into the water but claimed he was frantic and uncontrollable. He also blamed a dispute over the victim’s claimed indecent conduct towards tourists. Police charged him with premeditated murder, opposed bail and secured his remand in custody as the case is investigated.
A late-night argument at Benjasiri Park ended with one man unconscious in a pond and another facing a murder case. Police arrested Thavisak Phanngam, known as “Tom”, after examining security footage of the fatal attack. The victim drowned after being assaulted and thrown into the water.
The incident occurred at approximately 10.30 pm on August 21. Initially, police received a report that someone had fallen into a pond inside the Bangkok park. Rescue workers were quickly called to the scene.
In response, a foundation sent a team of divers into the water. Officers also began examining the area surrounding the pond. However, security recordings soon revealed something far more serious than an accidental fall.
CCTV captures fatal Benjasiri Park assault before victim is thrown unconscious into the pond water
The footage showed an argument developing beside the water. Moments later, the confrontation turned violent. According to investigators, one man assaulted the victim until he lost consciousness.
Next, the attacker threw the unconscious man into the pond. The victim remained in the water and subsequently drowned. The perpetrator then fled, leaving him behind.
Crucially, cameras inside Benjasiri Park had recorded the sequence. Investigators could see the argument, physical attack and the victim entering the water. The recordings also appeared to capture the attacker leaving the scene.
Soon afterwards, police from Thonglor Police Station identified Mr Thavisak as their suspect. Officers detained him and brought him in for further questioning. They later opened a premeditated murder case against him.
As part of this, investigators questioned Mr Thavisak about the confrontation and the drowning. He admitted arguing with the victim. He also admitted deliberately throwing the man into the pond.
Suspect disputes police account as court remands him in custody and investigating officer opposes bail
Nevertheless, Mr Thavisak disputed a central part of the police account. Investigators believed the assault had rendered the victim unconscious. Mr Thavisak insisted the man remained conscious and frantic.
Separately, officers prepared a remand application for the Bangkok South Criminal Court. They brought Mr Thavisak before the court while the investigation continued. The investigating officer also opposed his release on bail.
Notably, no relatives contacted the court to submit a bail application. Mr Thavisak was therefore remanded in custody. Thonglor Police Station continued assembling its premeditated murder case.
Before the court proceedings, reporters tried to question Mr Thavisak about his motive. At first, he declined to comment. He later answered when asked whether the two men had argued beforehand.
“Yes, that’s correct,” Mr Thavisak replied.
Thavisak admits throwing frantic friend into pond but claims he acted to halt the man’s fatal rampage
Even so, he rejected claims that the victim was unconscious before entering the water. Instead, he described the man as frantic and uncontrollable.
“But he wasn’t unconscious; he was still frantic,” Mr Thavisak said. “I couldn’t control him, so I threw him in the water to calm him down and make him stop his rampage.”
By his own account, Mr Thavisak deliberately threw the man into the pond. Yet, he claimed that his purpose was to restrain and calm him. That explanation directly conflicts with the initial interpretation of the recordings.
On another front, reporters asked why the victim had experienced an apparent psychotic episode. Mr Thavisak said he did not know what had caused the man’s stress. However, he claimed such behaviour was common.
“I don’t know what he was stressed about, but he was always like that,” Mr Thavisak replied. “When he was in a frenzy, you wouldn’t know what he was doing.”
Meanwhile, further questioning revealed another part of Mr Thavisak’s stated motive. He confirmed that a disagreement had preceded the deadly encounter. He also denied that money had caused it.
Dispute over claimed indecent acts towards tourists preceded deadly confrontation beside the pond
Rather, Mr Thavisak linked the dispute to the victim’s claimed conduct towards tourists. He described that conduct as indecent. Consequently, he said he no longer wanted the victim staying inside Benjasiri Park.
When pressed, Mr Thavisak did not explain the claimed indecent acts. Instead, he directed reporters towards people working inside the park. He suggested that they should be questioned about the victim’s behaviour.
In parallel, police continued examining the recordings covering the pond. Their initial findings showed an assault before the victim entered the water. The footage appeared to show the man becoming unconscious during that attack.
Afterwards, the attacker threw him into the pond. The victim then drowned while the perpetrator escaped. That sequence remains at the centre of the murder case.
By contrast, Mr Thavisak claimed the victim was still moving and behaving frantically. He said he could not control the man beside the water. Therefore, he claimed he used the pond to stop the supposed rampage.
Still, Mr Thavisak admitted the central physical act under investigation. He acknowledged throwing his friend into the water after their argument. His dispute concerns the victim’s condition and his stated purpose at that moment.
Drowning report becomes murder inquiry after CCTV reveals assault and deliberate act beside pond
Earlier, the emergency report had described someone falling into the pond. That prompted the immediate deployment of rescue divers. Yet, investigators soon found evidence pointing towards an assault and deliberate act.
From there, the case rapidly changed from a drowning response into a premeditated murder inquiry. Police used the footage to reconstruct the final confrontation. The recordings traced events from the argument through the suspect’s departure.
First, the two men argued beside the pond. Then, the victim was subjected to an apparent physical assault. Investigators believe that attack left him unconscious.
Moments later, the victim was thrown into the water. He subsequently drowned inside the park. The attacker then disappeared from the immediate area.
Following that discovery, Thonglor police arrested Mr Thavisak. Officers detained him for questioning before taking him to court. Reporters confronted him with questions about the argument, assault and drowning.
Suspect offers two explanations as police pursue premeditated murder case over recorded park killing
During those exchanges, Mr Thavisak supplied two explanations for the confrontation. One involved his friend’s claimed conduct towards tourists. The other involved the victim’s supposed frenzy immediately before entering the water.
Importantly, Mr Thavisak said the disagreement was not about money. He instead focused upon the victim’s claimed actions inside the park. However, he offered no specific account of those acts.
At the same time, he claimed the victim regularly experienced frantic episodes. He said people could not predict the man’s behaviour during such incidents. Police have not confirmed that description in the supplied account.
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Despite his explanation, investigators pursued the case as premeditated murder. The remand request reflected the seriousness of that accusation. The investigating officer also opposed bail while police continued gathering evidence.
Ultimately, the case rests upon a deadly sequence recorded beside the Benjasiri Park pond. One man was assaulted, thrown into the water and drowned. Another admitted throwing him in but denied that he was unconscious.
For now, Mr Thavisak remains in custody under the court’s remand order. No relative sought bail on his behalf. Thonglor Police Station continues its investigation into the August 21 killing.
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