Stressed by Covid-19, man tosses wife off condo balcony in Thailand

Being cooped up at home during the coronavirus lockdown proved to be too much for a British man.

While quarrelling with his wife, Dave Mitchell, 46, tossed her off the balcony of their eighth-floor condominium in Rayong, Thailand on April 28.

She survived the fall after landing on a roof that extended from the unit below.

But the impact left 56-year-old Sukanda with a fractured hip and dislocated arm.

When the police and paramedics arrived at the scene, the woman was screaming in pain and said that her husband had thrown her off their balcony.

She was rushed to Ban Chang Hospital for treatment.

After the altercation, Mitchell barricaded himself in the house and was seen chanting prayers at the balcony.

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It took two hours of negotiations before the man allowed police officers to enter the unit.

He was subsequently taken in for questioning at a police station.

A pair of bloodied scissors on the ground floor was also seized as evidence, according to Thai reports.

Mitchell told officers that he was stressed as flights back to the United Kingdom were cancelled over the global pandemic. The tension led to a fight with his wife which escalated into the attack.

He has not stepped out of the condominium for over a month, Thai media reported.

The police have yet to charge the Briton with an offence as they're waiting to take Sukanda's testimony.

Since the country went into lockdown in March, there have been several reports of Thais taking their lives after their livelihoods were impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.

lamminlee@asiaone.com