Police taser armed man with machete in three-hour standoff in village

Post ImagesPolice tasered a machete-wielding man during a tense three-hour standoff at a village in northeast Thailand.

The suspect allegedly threatened to kill his elderly mother and sister as he escaped from a hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima, on May 27.

Police arrived at his rural home in Ban Ma Bak Krat village but he began hurling rocks at them when they approached.

Footage shows police armed with Y-shaped poles closing in on the suspect wielding a machete.

Residents screamed when he threw clods of dirt at the officers before barricading himself inside the property.

Negotiations dragged on for hours as he refused to come out and repeatedly slammed the blade against objects inside to show he was still armed.

Authorities later cut the electricity supply to the home as police finally stormed the house and used a taser to subdue the man.

During the struggle, one officer suffered minor injuries when a colleague accidently shot him in the leg with a second taser. He and the suspect were both treated at a hospital.

The man's family said he was a psychiatric patient who had treatment several times but escaped around five days ago.

Suparanan Chatkratok, 36, warned that relatives should not wait until violent episodes erupt before seeking outside help for high-risk family members.

She added: 'Families should closely monitor at-risk relatives or seek help from authorities to manage their mental health and prevent repeat incidents, otherwise it could end in tragedy.'

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