Thai police: Woman cut rope holding painters 26 floors high

The woman faces attempted murder and property damage charges, according to Pol. The chief of the Pak Kret Police Station north of Bangkok, Col. Pongjak Preechakarunpong told The Associated Press.

Pongjak didn't say why the suspect cut the rope. However, Thai media reported that Pongjak was clearly frustrated that the workers showed up outside her bedroom and that she hadn't received an announcement from the condo about the work they were doing on October 12.

Two painters asked residents at the 26th floor to allow them into their home by opening the window. Song, a Myanmar national, was one of the painters. He told Thai media that Song and two other friends had dropped from the 32nd story to fix a crack in the building.

He felt the rope getting heavier as he approached the 30th floor. When he looked down, someone was opening a window on the 21st and cutting his rope. He tried to ask for assistance from other units but no one was there. Praphaiwan Setsing (the resident who saved them) said that the third colleague supported them on the top floor.

Praphaiwan claimed that her husband in Britain noticed one of her paintings signaling for assistance and called her to speak to him.

She said, "This incident should not have happened at all."

The condo management accompanied the painters in reporting the incident to police. Media reported that the 34-year old woman initially denied being responsible. However, police sent the severed cord for DNA and fingerprint analysis.

The woman and her lawyer made their way to the police station on Wednesday. After being shown the CCTV footage and forensic evidence by the police, the woman confessed to her guilt but denied that she had any plans to kill the workers.

Pongjak stated that the suspect was temporarily freed. He said that police will file an indictment against the provincial court within fifteen days. If she is found guilty of attempted murder, she could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.