A crazed German pensioner set his own home on fire before stabbing himself in the stomach in Thailand.

Benhard Hemker, 68, was at home with his family when police visited their property for a safety check after receiving a report from his 14-year-old daughter’s teacher in Pattaya City on September 9.

The retired ex-pat allegedly ‘was feeling extremely distressed’ and ‘wanted to commit suicide’ according to his daughter’s message to a teacher sent through an online app.

However as the officers asked the man to let his wife and daughter out, he excused himself to change clothes, locked his doors, and set the property on fire before injuring himself with a knife on the balcony.

Police Colonel Sakchai Suwannukul said: ‘The girl appeared scared when we arrived. We managed to persuade the man to release his child along with his wife but he suddenly lost control of himself.

‘While the foreign man was choking on smoke, the officers brought him down. He is now being treated at the nearest hospital.’

Officers had difficulty rescuing the injured German as the flames and smoke gushed out from the two-storey 200square-metre-wide property.

To gain access inside, they climbed up the balcony and took the injured ex-pat out while he was distracted choking on thick smoke.

The man was rushed to the hospital while firefighters worked on putting out the fire which took almost two hours before it was declared under control.

Fire officers also assessed the damage and found a large number of animal bones inside that were burned as well as most of the furniture as the blaze spread quickly.

The wounded ex-pat will be questioned after being discharged at the hospital while his wife and daughter are assisted by social services to ensure their safety.