Broke Briton jumps to death in Phuket

A 64-year-old Briton chose to jump to his death yesterday as he waited in vain for help from the British Embassy and his relatives at a Tourist Police office in Phuket.

Kenneth Caldwell reportedly ran out of money while vacationing on the popular island for nearly a month. Records show that he arrived in Phuket early last month. Then on October 27, a hotel in Patong alerted police, saying he had failed to pay his room and food bills worth about Bt30,000.

Two days later, Phuket Tourist Police moved Caldwell to their office and arranged for him to contact his relatives and the British Embassy.

"He was provided with shelter and food while waiting for help," Muang Phuket Police Station inspector Lt-Colonel Anek Mongkhon said yesterday.

Witnesses said they saw a foreigner climbing up a radio tower at the Tourist Police office yesterday morning and though police officers tried to talk him down, the man ended up jumping to his death from a height of 15 metres.

An autopsy has been conducted on the body and the victim's relatives will be contacted via the embassy.