Worshippers arriving at the beloved Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town this morning were met not with incense and prayer, but with a somber scene: a 56-year-old man, later identified as Montree Jongthirawong, had been found dead, apparently by hanging. Phuket City Police said they were notified at 7:55 a.m. on August 28, and rescue teams and forensic doctors were quickly dispatched to the shrine to investigate.
According to investigators who reviewed CCTV footage from the area, the incident appears to have occurred around 4:00 a.m., several hours before anyone discovered the body. Officers at the scene reported no visible signs of assault or foul play, and preliminary findings list asphyxiation as the cause of death. Nonetheless, police emphasized that an active investigation is ongoing to ensure every angle is properly examined and documented.
Montree was a resident of Srisoonthon in Thalang district, and relatives who spoke with authorities said he had been under considerable stress in recent months due to financial difficulties. Family members told police they do not suspect any third-party involvement and believe his death was linked to those personal struggles. Arrangements are being made to release the body for funeral rites and for relatives to conduct customary ceremonies.
The location of the discovery adds an extra layer of poignancy to the story. The Jui Tui Shrine is one of Phuket’s most prominent Chinese temples, a cultural anchor in Phuket Town and a focal point each year for the island’s famous Vegetarian Festival. Devout locals and tourists alike visit the shrine seeking blessings, protection, and the intense spiritual energy that marks festival season. For many in the community, it’s associated with celebration and communal ritual—so news of a death there felt both unexpected and deeply unsettling.
Locals reacted with shock and sadness. “This is a place of blessing,” one resident told reporters. “We come here to pray for good health and good fortune. To find something like this… it’s heartbreaking.” Police say they will continue to review additional CCTV footage and gather testimony from anyone who might have seen Montree in the hours before his death, seeking to piece together the final timeline and circumstances.
The case is being reported by Phuket News and covered across local outlets, with a photograph credited to Phuket.Net accompanying many stories. While investigators do their work, the community is being reminded about the pressures many people face—financial, emotional, and otherwise—and how critical it is to reach out for help when those burdens become overwhelming.
This incident is a quiet yet stark reminder that financial stress and mental health struggles can affect anyone, regardless of where they pray or how connected they seem to their community. Authorities and family members alike have urged compassion for the bereaved and for anyone who may be grappling with loneliness, anxiety, or depression.
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress, Thailand has several resources available 24/7. Please consider contacting one of the following hotlines for immediate support:
- Samaritans of Thailand (English): 02 713 6791
- Samaritans of Thailand (Thai): 02 713 6793
- Thai Mental Health Hotline (Thai): 1323
When times are hard, reaching out to friends, family, or professional services can make a crucial difference. Community leaders in Phuket are encouraging residents to check on vulnerable neighbours, to offer practical help where possible, and to be alert for signs that someone may be in crisis.
Meanwhile, the police investigation will continue. Officers say they will collate CCTV from around the shrine, interview witnesses and family members, and await final forensic findings to confirm the exact cause and timeline. For Montree’s family, the focus now shifts to funeral arrangements and coming to terms with their loss—while many in Phuket, who view the Jui Tui Shrine as a place of solace and celebration, grapple with the poignancy of the location and the broader social issues it highlights.
As the community mourns, officials reiterate the importance of supporting those under financial or emotional strain rather than stigmatizing them. If you are feeling alone or overwhelmed, please reach out. Help is available—call a friend, contact local mental health services, or use one of the hotlines above. You are not alone.
This is heartbreaking and weird at the same time. How does someone end up hanging at a shrine that busy during early morning hours? Seems like there should be more community support for people in crisis.
Are we sure it wasn’t foul play? CCTV is handy but not infallible. Police often close cases too quickly when it’s convenient.
Jumping to conspiracy theories about CCTV misses the obvious stressors described. Financial hardship is a real crisis and often hidden until it’s too late.
I get the suspicion, Larry, but blaming the police without evidence can hurt the family. We should push for transparency, not rumor.
As someone who goes to Jui Tui every month, this shook me. It’s supposed to be a place of protection, not tragedy. We need to ask why no one saw him that early.
Many people leave early; sunrise is quiet. But still, a shrine is public space and that raises uncomfortable questions about surveillance and assistance.
Exactly, I just hope the police release more footage or witness testimony soon so the family can get closure.
Financial stress will break anyone. I’m not surprised but I am angry that social nets are so weak here. Where are the government programs for people like Montree?
There are programs, but bureaucracy kills access. People need direct cash assistance and mental health outreach, not paperwork.
K is right. I’ve applied for aid for farm losses and it took months. In the meantime people go under.
This will haunt festival-goers. The juxtaposition of devotion and despair is powerful. I worry tourists will misinterpret cultural spaces as unsafe because of one incident.
We need a public-health lens on this: correlate economic downturns with spikes in suicide and allocate mental health resources accordingly. Stigma prevents help-seeking.
Agreed, but mental health funding is political and often ignored until tragedies occur. How do we make it a priority?
Start with workplace interventions and financial counseling programs integrated into primary care. Small changes save lives.
Some people will weaponize this into anti-government talking points, but the root is social isolation and shame. Hotlines matter, but so does community care.
Why was he at the shrine so early? Was he there for ritual or hiding his pain? The location complicates the grief for the community.
Shrines are often visited at dawn for quiet prayer. People don’t always go there for festivals. Interpretation matters.
Good point. I don’t want to sensationalize, just curious about context so people understand his last hours.
This story will likely be used to push agendas: either more cameras or moralizing about debt. Both are half-solutions that ignore mental health funding.
CCTV at 4 a.m. is a great forensic tool, but footage rarely captures intent. We need forensic psychology and family interviews, not just pixels.
As a teacher I see students stressed about money too. Early education about coping skills could prevent some tragedies later in life.
Exactly, prevention through education is undervalued. Teach emotional regulation as much as math.
Simple comment: ask your neighbors how they’re doing. Community check-ins beat anonymous hotlines for many people. Schools and temples can help.
I worry about blaming religion or the shrine. This is not about the temple. It’s about structural failure and human desperation.
But the space matters symbolically. A place of blessing becoming a scene of death creates cultural shock that demands community healing.
Fair. Community healing should include rituals and conversations, not only policy fixes.
Police said no signs of foul play, yet families always suspect. Trust in the system is low, and that fuels anger and rumors.
We should avoid voyeurism. Reporting must be sensitive. The coverage felt intrusive to me and potentially harmful to bereaved relatives.
Sensational headlines sell, but ethically journalists should protect dignity. Local outlets must do better.
Thanks Larry. Responsible reporting would highlight resources and avoid speculation about motives.
As a resident, I want practical steps: more outreach to people in debt, temple volunteers trained to spot distress, and clear hotline visibility.
My uncle was in debt and kept it secret. When he died, we found passive notes in his room. Shame is a killer and needs cultural change.
Honestly, this is tragic and preventable in many ways. If financial counseling and mental health were integrated in community centers, maybe he would still be alive.
I fear this will be politicized before facts emerge. Let’s insist on a careful investigation and support for the family, not politicking.
Politicians will always politicize tragedy. Citizens should demand policy that actually helps people, not just statements.
Agreed. Public pressure should focus on resources and prevention, not blame.
Sixth grade take: that’s super sad and scary. People should help friends who are sad and call numbers on the page. Temples should have lights and people checking in.
I worry about family stigma. In some communities, families hide suicides. We need compassionate reporting and privacy during funeral rites.
From a clinical standpoint, combining financial aid programs with mental health screening is evidence-based. Pilot programs in other countries show reductions in crisis events.
Tourists will misunderstand the context and some will post insensitive takes online. Locals should lead the narrative to protect community memory.
I volunteered at the Vegetarian Festival and felt the shrine’s energy. This incident is jarring, but communities recover through rituals and mutual aid.
Let’s not forget practical actions: promote hotline numbers on banners, train volunteers, and fund rapid-response social workers at major cultural sites.
Conspiracy aside, the emotional toll on worshippers could be long-lasting. Offer counseling at the shrine for those affected and normalize seeking help.
People will say ‘reach out’ but social networks sometimes fail. We need institutional systems that proactively find and support at-risk people.
I’m back to say local NGOs should coordinate with temples. Faith leaders can be gatekeepers to mental health services if trained properly.
I visited the shrine yesterday and volunteers were handing out hotline cards. Small steps, but visible and comforting to see.