Teenage love rivalry ends in brutal murder in southern Thailand

The brutal murder of a 16 year old boy has been traced back to a love rivalry over a 14 year old girl. The victim was reportedly beaten by a gang of youths around his age in a shocking incident that took place in the Thung Song district of Nakhon Si Thammarat.

On November 19, Police Lieutenant Colonel Jittinan Suwanchatree was alerted to a body buried in a forest in the Na Luang Sen sub-district, Thung Song. Subsequent investigations led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Theerawut Thepleuan, and involving forensic experts, indicated that the unidentified male body had been there for approximately eight to 10 days.

The body, dressed in a short-sleeved black shirt and black shorts, was approximately 170 centimetres tall. The identity of the deceased was unknown, and it is believed that the victim was killed elsewhere before being brought to the forest for burial.

The victim’s identity was later confirmed when his parents recognised his facial features and clothing. The parents of Kittinan, also known as Kai, confirmed that the deceased was their 16 year old son, reported Sanook.

On November 21, Police Lieutenant Colonel Theerawut and his team tracked down four suspects, all teenagers from the same district. These included a 17 year old male, two 14 year old men, and a 15 year old man. The blue Mazda pickup truck used to transport Kai’s body was also seized.

The murder was allegedly triggered when both Kai and one of the suspects, identified only as A, developed feelings for the same 14 year old girl. When the two men failed to resolve their dispute, a physical altercation ensued, resulting in A and his three friends assaulting Kai until he died.

The suspects then hid Kai’s body near a stream before returning the next morning to transport the body to an abandoned pit, approximately 5 kilometres away.

Following the investigation, all four suspects were arrested and taken to the juvenile and family court. They led the police to the crime scene and were later detained in custody.