School van driver found brutally murdered in Pathum Thani
The grisly murder of a school van driver took place yesterday, with the victim nearly decapitated and several of his fingers severed. Police are currently pursuing the suspect, who was last heard calling out a name.
Police Lieutenant Thanasorn Chaemchoi of Lam Luk Ka Police Station at 8am yesterday, July 16, received a report of a murder at a house by the Lam Luk Ka Canal in Bueng Kham Phroi Subdistrict, Lam Luk Ka District, Pathum Thani Province. Police, including the investigation team, forensic officers, an on-call doctor from SWU Hospital, and volunteers from the Rom Sai Rescue Foundation, arrived promptly at the scene.
The incident took place at a single-storey wooden house. The body of 61 year old Wongduen, a school van driver, was discovered under a kratom tree beside the house. The victim had sustained ten head injuries and a deep cut to the back of the neck, nearly severing it. The fingers on his left hand were also missing.
Sunthorn, a 64 year old witness, mentioned that the victim usually departed at 6am to drive schoolchildren. When he did not arrive at the house to collect the van, his brother, 56 year old Adul, went to check on him and found him dead.
Adul recounted that his brother, who lived alone, had not shown up to drive the van in the morning. Concerned, he tried calling but received no response. Adul decided to visit the house, only to find his brother murdered beside it.
“I immediately called our relatives and the police. My brother never had conflicts with anyone.”
The police collected evidence at the scene and photographed it for records. Witnesses were brought in for questioning. Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect, whose identity is known to the police, was heard arguing with someone the previous night. The suspect has fled to the northeastern region of Thailand, reported KhaoSod.
Police are gathering more evidence to issue an arrest warrant. The body will be sent to the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Centre in Khlong 16 for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
