KUALA LUMPUR — Two Malaysians were left with severe burns after a Thai man doused them with paint thinner and set them on fire outside a shopping mall at Ratchaprasong intersection in central Bangkok late Thursday night.
The attack, which shocked both locals and tourists, was unprovoked, Thai news outlet Khaosod English reported.
Bystanders at the scene intervened, restraining the assailant until police arrived.
Lumpini Police Station officers responded to the incident at 10pm, identifying the attacker as Warakorn Pabtaisong, 30, from Sa Kaeo province.
Police recovered a 1.5-litre plastic bottle of paint thinner and a lighter as evidence.
The victims, a Malaysian couple aged 26 and 27, sustained extensive burns to their faces and bodies and were swiftly taken to Police Hospital for treatment.
Eyewitnesses reported that Warakorn had briefly spoken to the victims before they parted ways.
The couple sat on the mall steps when Warakorn approached them, poured the paint thinner over them, and set them on fire using a lighter as they attempted to escape. Onlookers immediately intervened, restraining the attacker until police arrived.
During questioning, Warakorn confessed to the attack, explaining that he had no personal issue with the victims. He attributed his actions to mounting stress caused by unemployment and hunger.
Warakorn, a former boxer who had recently lost his job as a security guard, told police that he had not eaten that day, which intensified his emotional strain and contributed to the violence.
Police have filed charges of attempted bodily harm, and drug tests on the suspect came back negative.
Authorities are collaborating with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to assist with the investigation and provide necessary support, the Khaosod report noted. – August 8, 2025