Cases involving people found dead alone at home several days after their deaths have risen sharply in northern Bangkok, according to a forensic doctor at Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital.
Dr Atthasit Dulamnuay, from the hospital’s forensic medicine department, said the hospital previously recorded around 10 such cases a year. That figure has since climbed to about 70 to 80 annually.
Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital handles forensic cases from northern Bangkok, including Bang Khen, Don Mueang, Sai Mai and nearby areas.
Atthasit said the hospital now sees around five to eight decomposed bodies each month, out of approximately 40 to 50 bodies sent for autopsy. The cases therefore account for more than 10% of the unit’s monthly forensic workload.
During particularly hot periods, especially around April, the number can rise further. Atthasit said there have been weeks in which three such cases were recorded.
He previously encountered about one decomposed body a month while training in forensic medicine at Siriraj Hospital around 2016. When he first moved to Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, the frequency was similar before gradually increasing.
The people found in these circumstances range in age from around 20 to 80, showing that the issue is not limited to elderly people.
Among younger victims are working-age people and labourers living alone. In some cases, an employer notices that a worker has failed to turn up for two or three days and tries to contact them. In others, neighbours or people in nearby rooms notice something unusual and alert officials.
Older people found in similar circumstances may still have children or other relatives, but family members can be living or working elsewhere and may not be in contact every day.
Atthasit said some families speak only once a week or once a month. By the time relatives realise something is wrong, the person may have been dead for several days.
He said the trend may partly reflect changes in Thai household structures, with fewer extended families living together and more people living alone or separately from their relatives.
The problem, he said, is not limited to people on low incomes or those living in rented rooms. Similar cases have involved people living in large homes or receiving retirement income while their children worked elsewhere in Thailand or abroad.
Atthasit stressed that relatives are not necessarily deliberately neglecting family members. Many have jobs and responsibilities of their own, but irregular contact can mean a death or medical emergency goes unnoticed.
Regular communication could help identify problems sooner. Even a simple message or call can show that someone living alone is still in contact, while a sudden break in an established routine can prompt relatives, neighbours or colleagues to check on them.
From a forensic perspective, decomposed bodies generally require detailed autopsies because decomposition can make it difficult to determine the cause of death from an external examination alone.
Doctors must establish whether there were injuries or other circumstances before death that could otherwise be missed.
Atthasit said Thailand does not yet have a clear system for monitoring people who live alone. He suggested that technology, alert systems, regular family contact and checks by people nearby could all help identify when someone suddenly becomes unreachable.
He also said workplaces and communities could play a role. If someone who normally appears every day suddenly stops coming to work or making contact, those around them should have a way to check whether they need help.
Matichon reported that Atthasit warned that if the current trend continues, the number of people found dead after several days alone could rise further in Bangkok and other large cities.
The issue, he said, reflects not only changes in family structure but also weaker day-to-day contact between people living in the same urban communities.
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