UDON THANI, THAILAND – Police in northeastern Thailand detained a 40-year-old man after he climbed onto a house roof claiming he was searching for signals from aliens.
Early-morning rooftop call-out
Around 5.30 a.m. on 23 February, officers from Na Kha Police Station were alerted to a seemingly confused man walking on the roof of a home in Mu Mon subdistrict, Mueang Udon Thani district. After about 20 minutes, police calmed him down, persuaded him to leave the roof and took him to the station, with parts of the operation captured on video.
Positive drug test and criminal charges
By around 11 a.m., police identified the suspect as Yotdet, 40, and said he remained in custody after a urine test came back positive for drugs. Officers informed him he was accused of consuming a Category 1 narcotic, disorderly conduct and endangering society, and said they would pursue the case in line with legal procedures.
Hallucinations and fear of signals from space
During questioning, Yotdet admitted taking two Yaba (methamphetamine) tablets on the evening of 22 February and described auditory hallucinations in which he heard supposed “waves” from aliens. He said he walked through the village looking for satellite signal masts before climbing onto a house roof to dismantle a satellite dish he believed was sending disturbing signals into his brain.
Addiction, pain and remorse
According to police, Yotdet said he felt clear-headed again, regretted his behaviour and wanted to apologise to residents for the disturbance. He stated he had been dependent on Yaba for two to three years, had no family and was rarely aggressive, but on this occasion was convinced satellite signals from space were affecting him, so he now agreed to seek treatment.
Work accident and slide into dependency
The man said he started using Yaba after an accident while working on a water pipe, where lifting heavy loads caused nerve compression that weakened his legs and led to severe pain. He explained that drug use made the pain disappear, which was why he repeatedly turned back to it.
Local concern over relapse
La-iat, deputy chair of Ban Bo Nam community, said Yotdet had not previously shown such severe hallucinations and had spent time in a rehab facility last year, but relapsed after being discharged. She added that the house owner was not present during the incident and would likely have been very frightened if they had witnessed the situation, CH7 News reported.
Similar case in the same province
According to media reports, there was another incident in Udon Thani in which police removed a man from the roof of his own house after he had barricaded himself there for several days due to drug-related hallucinations. The man was eventually taken to a hospital for medical treatment.
Debate over drug problem and treatment
The incident, involving a man under the influence of meth who believed in alien signals and climbed onto a rooftop, ended without injuries but raised questions about the ongoing Yaba problem. It highlighted concerns over whether more prevention and treatment options are needed, particularly for people with work-related accidents and chronic pain.
“A man under the influence of meth believes in alien signals and climbs onto a rooftop. The case ends lightly but raises questions about the ongoing Yaba issue. Is more prevention and more therapy needed, especially for people with workplace accidents and chronic pain?”
said The Thaiger, summarising the debate around the case.