Horrified relatives attempt ID of disfigured suitcase victim

The hideously disfigured body of a woman found in a suitcase in the Nakhon Phanom stretch of the Mekong River on Wednesday might turn out to be that of a Lao businesswoman.

Pol Col Thawil Khamket, chief of That Phanom police, said today that some of the missing woman’s horrified family had contacted the police in an effort to locate her. It is understood that will be given a chance to identify the body.

The body of a young woman, aged 25–30, was found stuffed inside a suitcase in the river in That Phanom district on Sept 28. Earlier reports suggested that the woman might be aged around 40.

There were no documents on the body, but she was wearing branded clothing, which suggested that she might be wealthy.

The woman’s face had been beaten to a pulp with a blunt object, making it almost impossible to identify her. There were no signs of injury anywhere else on her body, and she had not been tied up. A boulder was inside the suitcase.

Police believe she was killed, packed into the suitcase, and then dumped in the river. They are now awaiting the results of an autopsy by Khon Kaen forensic institute.

Shocked relatives of a missing Vientiane woman saw clothes from the suitcase on news reports, and believe they belong to their missing family member. They are expected to travel from Vientiane to Nakhon Phanom to identify the body.

Pol Col Thawil said if relatives confirmed her identity, investigators would hand the case over to Lao authorities and the Thai police would have no authority to investigate the matter further.

SOURCE Bangkok Post