3 arrested for rape, death of teen schoolgirl

Police in Kanchanaburi, the largest of Thailand’s western provinces, have arrested 2 young men in connection with the rape and unexplained death of a teenage schoolgirl. They apprehended the pair yesterday after obtaining warrants. The 2 face charges of depriving a schoolgirl aged under 18 of parental care and also performing indecent acts. 21 year old Phakhin Chanyiam and 18 year old Natthaphong (surname withheld), were taken to a Kanchanaburi police station for interrogation.

Their arrest follows that of  22 year old Pongpat Nakpian in the same case. He is charged with rape, performing an indecent act and possession of illegal drugs. The provincial court approved his detention after rejecting his bail request.

The 3 suspects are also reported to be linked to the death of grade 12 schoolgirl “Nong Dao”, who was found dead in front of Pongpat’s grandmothers house on June 17. Kanchanaburi police examined her body and noted traces of blood from her mouth and her nose. They are awaiting the results of forensic tests to determine the cause of death. Nong’s parents believed their daughter might have been drugged, leading to her death. Police said Friday that there might be as many as 5 people involved in the case.

Thairath reports that a group of male friends drove to the girl’s house to pick her up on June 16. Her family weren’t able to contact her that night. They later received a phone call from one of the girl’s friends, who told them she’d been found dead on a wooden bench in front of a house in the main city district.

The owner of the home, the Pongpat’s grandmother, told police she’d found the girl laying dead on the bench on the morning of June 17. She said she had no idea of how the girl got there.

SOURCES: Chiang Rai Times | Thairath