A 76-year-old man shot himself dead at his house in Thonburi district early this morning (June 10) after getting stressed out over stopping his blood pressure and diabetes medication to prepare for a Covid-19 jab upon getting fake news that this is what he had to do, Siam Rath newspaper said.
After being alerted Pol. Capt. Thamnong Monta, deputy inspector at Samre police station, together with a doctor from Chulalongkorn Hospital and rescuers from Por Tek Tung Foundation rushed to a two-storey wooden row house, adjacent to two others, in Samre subdistrict where they found Mr. Sirirot Sawasu, 76, the house owner, lying dead beside two stone benches in front of his home.
There was a single gunshot wound going through his mouth and exiting at the nape of his neck. Near his hand was an 11mm caliber pistol and a casing of the spent bullet.
Neighbours told police that the deceased man did not work and lived in his house with his wife and children all of whom had jobs.
About two weeks ago he stopped taking his blood pressure and diabetes medicine to prepare for a Covid shot and started complaining of mood swings that made him want to commit suicide but no one thought he would actually do so.
However early this morning when his family had already left to run errands he came outside and shot himself dead.
Police have sent his body for a detailed autopsy before allowing his family to perform a funeral.
Earlier a lot of elderly people got fake news via social media that they had to stop their regular medication, particularly for blood pressure, before vaccination, causing a misunderstanding to build up among them.
However officials had already issued a warning not to believe this fake news because they would not be able to get a Covid jab if their blood pressure were high.
Later Dr. Kong Sorawit Subun, a well-known doctor and actor, too issued a warning on his Facebook page for the children and relatives of the elderly to ensure that they continue taking their medicine before vaccination because the shot cannot be administered if the blood pressure is too high.
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Sirirot lying dead in front of his home. Photo: Siam Rath
