A German man panicked over being caught overstaying his visa threatened to kill himself and burn down his rented house in Nong Plalai.
A manic Thomas Veit, 47, held off police, firefighters and paramedics for hours Nov. 7 at the house on Soi Panyanimit. It wasn’t until his wife, Julia Poeppelbaum, 35, calmed and distracted him that officers were able to tackle the knife-wielding German.
Banglamung police chief Pol. Col. Nawin Sinturat said the couple – more specifically their two fierce rottweilers and giant mastiff – had been the subject of many complaints by neighbors. Veit was accused of allowing the dogs to run free, biting people and car ties and terrorizing children.
Immigration police investigated and found the couple had overstayed their visas.
Fearing imminent arrest, Veit appeared to lose the plot, putting a knife to his own throat and rigging up a battery connected to a 15-kilogram gas tank. He lit his bomb, but firefighters were ready with hoses.
Police couldn’t corral the German, however, due to the dogs. Nongprue’s Public Health Department was brought in to shoot the canines with tranquilizers.
Meanwhile Veit kept trashing his own place and throw bottles at authorities. He climbed out a window to the roof, and then back into the house.
Finally Poeppelbaum calmed him down and he was arrested without further incident.
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