Indian Man Arrested For Threatening Locals, Police With Gun-Shaped Lighter In Bangkok

Last Updated:October 19, 2025, 13:38 IST

Sahil Ram Thadani, 41, was arrested for brandishing a gun-shaped cigarette lighter at the public and police officers at Bangkok's Siam Square.

Sahil Ram Thadani was charged with threatening behaviour and creatinga public disturbance. (Photo: X)

An Indian man was arrested and charged for threatening people and police officers with a pistol-shaped lighter in Bangkok’s Siam Square area, sparking panic among people at the scene. The man was identified as Sahil Ram Thadani, 41, who was charged with threatening behaviour.

The incident occurred on Monday in front of the Novotel Bangkok in Siam Square soi 6, Pathum Wan district. Police were called to the scene and were confronted by Thadani, who was walking around making loud noises and pointing a gun-shaped object at the people, according to the Bangkok Post.

Videos surfaced showing the man carrying a backpack, dancing erratically on the streets and shouting at people while brandishing the pistol-shaped object. He was seen sitting on the ground and dancing, as police officers arrived at the scene to apprehend him.

Police and security personnel attempted to bring the situation under control, but the man refused to comply and threatened officers with the gun-shaped object, which was later identified as a cigarette lighter. Despite repeated instructions to stand, the man refused to comply, prompting security personnel to forcibly remove him from the ground. He was heard crying and demanding the police be called, before eventually apologising for his behavior

Thadani was taken to the Pathum Wan police station and charged with threatening behaviour and causing a public disturbance. Police said the man’s behaviour was believed to be a result of hallucination from consuming cannabis. As per the report, Thadani used to be a director of three companies in India that had since shut down.

Pathumwan Police highlighted that imitation firearms, even harmless objects like cigarette lighters, are treated seriously. Witnesses described the man’s behaviour as alarming, with some shoppers taking cover during the incident, as per Thai Examiner.

This case adds to a growing number of incidents in Thailand where marijuana consumption is linked to unpredictable behaviour. Last month, a Moroccan tourist in Sukhumvit Soi 13 jumped from her hotel’s rooftop pool while consuming marijuana. She was later pronounced dead.

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

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