PATTAYA, Thailand – At around 8:30 AM, duty officer at Nongprue Police Station, was alerted about a foreign man in a violent, unstable state threatening to set his house on fire on December 5. The incident occurred in a luxury housing estate, Paradise Hill Villa 1, located in Soi Thung Klom – Tan Man, East Pattaya.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a black Ford Everest and a blue Honda Click motorcycle parked in front of the single-story house. Both vehicles had been severely damaged by a manhole cover that had been used to smash them.
The man, later identified as Andrew Bruno, 38, an Australian national, was found naked and visibly agitated, shouting profanities at the officers and threatening to burn down the house if they approached. Despite police attempts to calm him down for about 10 minutes, Andrew ran back inside, smashing household items in a fit of rage. Moments later, flames and smoke began to emerge from the house.
Officers immediately called the Nongprue Municipal Fire Department and requested backup. Before the fire crew arrived, Andrew returned outside. Police took the opportunity to subdue him, resulting in a struggle as Andrew resisted arrest. Eventually, officers restrained him and transported him to Banglamung Hospital due to injuries from glass cuts and minor burns.
Ms. Am (alias), 56, the homeowner, recounted that Andrew had been renting the property with his Thai wife and two children for about 5-6 months. She revealed that Andrew suffered from depression and bipolar disorder, and when off his medication, he would become violent and frequently quarrel with his wife. Over the past few days, his behavior had deteriorated, including yelling and sealing ventilation outlets with electrical tape. Concerned for her safety, Ms. Am contacted the police, unaware that Andrew would escalate to setting the house on fire, causing significant damage to both the property and vehicles.
The police are continuing their investigation and have taken Andrew into custody for further legal proceedings.
