Chaos broke out at Central Westgate in Bang Yai, Nonthaburi, on the evening of September 12 when a shopping trip took a traumatic turn. According to eyewitnesses and police statements, a woman discovered a man allegedly using an iPad to film beneath her skirt. Staff were alerted, security responded, and what followed was a frantic escape attempt that ended with the 21‑year‑old plunging from the mall’s fourth floor to the ground below.
The scene, eyewitnesses say, was instantly terrifying. People shouted, children were hurried away, and the cacophony of alarmed shoppers filled the multi‑level complex. “People were screaming and crying,” one witness told reporters, describing the raw shock that rippled through the crowds as the man fell. Mall security quickly cordoned off the area while bystanders recorded what they could on their phones — adding another layer of urgency as police raced to secure evidence and comfort distressed customers.
Police Colonel Siriphop Anusiri, chief of Bang Yai police, confirmed that officers and mall security initially detained the suspect. Witness reports helped identify him quickly — noting that the young man was wearing a university shirt — and officers began collecting evidence on site. But the situation spiraled when the suspect, apparently panicked, tossed a bag down a set of stairs and leapt over a railing in an attempt to flee.
The fall from the fourth floor left the man with multiple fractures and severe head injuries. He was rushed to hospital and later slipped into a coma, hospital sources confirmed. He remains under police watch as medical staff work to stabilise him. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and that evidence recovered from the suspect’s iPad will play a key role in building the case. Officials stressed that criminal charges will be pursued once his medical condition permits.
Upskirting — the act of secretly filming under a person’s clothing — is not just invasive; it’s illegal and deeply unsettling for victims and bystanders alike. The Central Westgate episode has reignited a broader public debate about privacy, public safety, and the responsibilities of shopping centres to protect patrons. Social feeds filled quickly with outrage at the alleged behaviour, with many users calling for harsher enforcement and better preventive measures in high‑traffic venues.
At the same time, others pointed to the dramatic leap as a wake‑up call about physical safety in modern mall design. “How easily could someone fall or be pushed over a low barrier?” asked one commenter, echoing a common thread of concern about railings and safety features in multi‑level commercial spaces. Mall operators responded by saying they’re cooperating fully with investigators and reviewing CCTV footage — the same footage that helped piece together the moments leading up to the fall.
Security protocols, point‑of‑reservation training, and the placement of staff all come into focus when incidents like this occur. Central Westgate — one of the largest shopping centres in the area — has its own security team and surveillance system, but this episode highlights the difficulty of preventing covert offences that happen in crowded, public environments before they escalate into crises.
For the woman who first noticed the device, the experience has left a lasting mark. Victims of upskirting often report feelings of violation and helplessness, and witnessing such a brazen attempt at covert filming in a busy mall adds a chilling dimension. Support groups and local women’s rights organisations have urged anyone with information or footage to come forward to aid the investigation, while also offering resources to anyone affected by what they witnessed.
Police say they will press charges against the 21‑year‑old suspect as soon as his condition stabilises, taking care to follow proper legal channels. Meanwhile, mall management has reiterated its commitment to cooperate fully with Bang Yai police and to review both security staffing and physical safety measures. CCTV footage and the suspect’s iPad remain central to investigators as they reconstruct the timeline and build the case.
As the story unfolds, it’s clear this was more than a dramatic fall; it was a collision of issues that many urban centres are wrestling with today — privacy in public spaces, bystander intervention, and the design of commercial environments to protect patrons. For shoppers at Central Westgate, the evening meant more than a news headline: it was an unsettling reminder that even familiar places can suddenly feel exposed.
Authorities continue to appeal for witnesses and anyone with footage to contact Bang Yai police to assist the investigation. For now, the young man remains hospitalised, the mall is recovering from a night of shock, and the conversation about safety and respect in public spaces has intensified across social media and local forums.
This is horrifying on so many levels — the violation, the chase, and then the fall. It feels like we failed both the woman and the suspect when things spiraled out of control. Mall security needs better training for de-escalation and containment so people aren’t put at further risk.
De-escalation is key, but if someone is filming you under your skirt, emotions will boil over fast and people panic. Expecting perfect restraint from a crowd is unrealistic in that moment.
True, Leo — I get the instinct to act, but there are protocols that security should follow to prevent crowd interference and injuries. We need systems that work even when people are scared.
From a policy perspective, training that integrates immediate witness protection and suspect containment is essential, along with rapid evidence preservation. Otherwise justice gets compromised by chaos.
How is a fourth-floor railing so easy to jump over or fall from? Malls chase aesthetics but sacrifice basic safety. Somebody should be held accountable for those design flaws.
Aesthetic railings often meet code, but codes can be outdated. We should be asking for modern standards that prioritize preventing falls and pushes.
Exactly, Maya. Public spaces evolve and safety standards should too, especially in mega-malls where crowds are dense and emotions run high.
Or maybe people should just learn not to create scenes. If he’d stayed put, none of this would have happened. Design isn’t to blame for human stupidity.
This incident raises complex questions: privacy rights, digital evidence integrity, and the proportionality of bystander intervention. The legal response must balance victim protection and due process. We should be careful not to let sensational footage distort courtroom outcomes.
I agree with the need for balance, but when there’s clear digital evidence like an iPad, the evidentiary path seems straightforward. The bigger issue is prevention.
Prevention requires both technological measures and social norms: clearer signage about privacy, anonymous reporting tools, and swift but lawful on-site procedures.
Seems like a justified mess to me. He tried to film a woman secretly, got caught, then tried to run and fell. Natural selection, maybe. Not everyone gets a therapist and a vigil, you know?
That attitude is gross. Crime isn’t entertainment and we can’t cheer someone’s horrible injury. Focus on the victim and on preventing the act, not mocking a man in a coma.
This isn’t natural selection, it’s failure of control and security. Two wrongs don’t make a right and celebrating harm is toxic.
I’m not celebrating harm, I’m saying actions have consequences. If you’re filming someone without consent, don’t be surprised when people react.
There should be harsher penalties for upskirting — it’s a modern form of sexual assault. Laws should be updated to treat covert recording as the violent violation it is. Victims need real protection and deterrence.
Harsher penalties help, but so does public education and easy reporting methods. People need to know how to act without risking escalation.
Agreed, Nora — legislation and education must go hand-in-hand, including funding for awareness campaigns and victim services.
Why are we all acting like the guy deserved compassion? He allegedly violated someone’s privacy. If bystanders have to be gentle while someone films under a skirt, then the justice system is failing. Better people intervene harder next time.
Intervening harder can turn a misdemeanor into a death sentence. Vigilante justice risks causing exactly what happened — life-threatening injuries — and that’s not acceptable.
I hear that, but sometimes the law is too slow to stop predators. Nonviolent restraint training could be a middle ground instead of letting people run off.
CCTV and the iPad are crucial, but footage can be ambiguous or edited. For a fair trial they need chain-of-custody protocols and forensic validation. Rush to judgment on social media could derail the case.
Police are aware of chain-of-custody importance and usually document evidence handling, but public pressure makes that job harder. We need witnesses to come forward calmly.
Thanks for the reminder, PoliceWatch. I hope officers are transparent about evidence handling to maintain trust in the process.
Kids were there, people were screaming — that image is gonna stay with them. We need trauma counselors in these places after big incidents like this.
Yes, Rico, and schools should be ready too. Children exposed to public violence can carry that fear for years, we can’t ignore mental health fallout.
This is why women carry anti-flashlight apps and stay hyper-aware — but safety shouldn’t be a constant burden on potential victims. Malls must do better on surveillance and staff presence.
Also, a shout-out to local women’s groups offering immediate support; people should know these resources exist when they feel violated.
He was wearing a university shirt — will the university be contacted? Students should be accountable and universities must respond to misconduct by their enrolled members. Reputation matters, but justice matters more.
Universities often have disciplinary codes that can act in parallel with criminal law. It may trigger an investigation if the suspect is identified.
I’m concerned about the ‘everyone record everything’ reflex. While footage can convict, it also turns victims’ trauma into public spectacle. We need clearer ethics for bystander recording.
Good point, Evelyn. Bystander footage helps investigations but can re-victimize people when shared without consent. Platforms should have stricter moderation for such content.
From an enforcement standpoint, these cases are difficult but solvable when digital evidence is preserved. We encourage responsible reporting and for witnesses to hand over footage to authorities, not social feeds.
PoliceWatch, how can ordinary people know when to share with police vs posting online? There’s a lot of confusion in the moment.
I feel bad for everyone — the woman, the suspect, the kids. It’s tragic and preventable if people were more respectful and places better designed.
Let’s stop the finger-pointing until investigations conclude. Emotions are high, but legal processes exist to find the truth and assign responsibility correctly.