Former police commander Joe died in prison. This article traces the four-year shocking case involving the use of a black plastic bag to suffocate a drug suspect to death, culminating in the former officer's final sentencing.
At 11:00 p.m. on 7 Mar 2025 GMT+7, Police Lieutenant Colonel Natthaphon Ratsupapong, an investigator at Prachachuen Police Station, received a report of a male inmate, a well-known former police officer, who hanged himself at Klong Prem Central Prison on Ngamwongwan Road, Lat Yao Subdistrict, Chatuchak District, Bangkok. He informed Police Colonel Sanya Ubonviratna, Chief of Prachachuen Police Station. The scene was in detention room number 50 in the dormitory building of Ward 5. The body of the male prisoner, Police Colonel Thitisawan Uthanapol, age 43, former commander of Nakhon Sawan Provincial Police Station known as "Joe," was found hanging with a black plastic bag over his head.
After the incident, the prison informed the deceased's wife of the news. The wife expressed doubts about whether her husband decided to commit suicide or if there were suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. Police Colonel Sanya Ubonviratna, Chief of Prachachuen Police Station, said the body was still at Klong Prem Central Prison. At 9:00 a.m. today, he and relevant authorities—including prosecutors, forensic officers, and forensic doctors from the Police Hospital—would enter to conduct a further autopsy.
According to the verdict by the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, Police Colonel Thitisawan Uthanapol, known as Commander Joe and former chief of Nakhon Sawan Provincial Police Station, was sentenced to death, later reduced by one-third to life imprisonment. He, along with six others, used a black plastic bag to cover the head of drug suspect Jiraphong Thanapat, known as Mawin, resulting in his death.
This case shook the "police community" due to the release of video footage showing the victim being assaulted, which became critical evidence. It is a historic case involving torture by state officials.
From the Beginning to the Verdict in Commander Joe's Case
• On 5 Aug 2021, officers from Nakhon Sawan City Police Station arrested a married couple suspecting drug offenses with 100,000 tablets seized, then took them to the station. Initial investigations revealed a demand for a 2 million baht bribe, but the suspects were willing to pay only 1 million baht.
• When the bribe negotiation failed, Commander Joe and associates put a black plastic bag over Mawin's head, causing his death. They then took the body to a hospital and released the female suspect, forbidding her from revealing any details to others, in exchange for not being prosecuted.
• The next day, an autopsy at Sawanpracharak Hospital in Nakhon Sawan stated that the suspect's death was caused by amphetamine poisoning.
• Following the incident, junior police officers complained to lawyer Decha Kittiwitthayanon, which led to public exposure of the case and an investigation into the police unit involved.
• Subsequently, a command order transferred Commander Joe to another assignment to avoid controversy during the investigation. If wrongdoing was confirmed, disciplinary action would follow.
• Commander Joe insisted there was no bribery or torture of suspects. The deceased's father was not suspicious about the death, believing it was due to a pre-existing illness.
• Lawyer Sittra Bia-Bangkid posted a video on Facebook showing the moment Commander Joe covered the suspect's head with a black plastic bag until death. Following this, the Police Inspector General set up a disciplinary committee to investigate Commander Joe and associates, leading to their arrest and prosecution.
• On 8 Jun 2022, the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced Commander Joe to death, later reduced to life imprisonment, for offenses including jointly committing or neglecting to perform duties improperly to cause harm, or performing duties corruptly.
• Some co-defendants received death sentences reduced to life imprisonment. Meanwhile, Police Corporal Suphakorn, defendant number six, was found guilty of neglect or improper duty in coercion or withholding action, sentenced to eight years, later reduced to five years and four months imprisonment.