Thai man arrested for alleged rape, drowning, burning Burmese woman
A 21 year old Burmese woman died after Thai man allegedly abducted, raped, accidentally drowned her, then set her body on fire. The incident took place in Prachin Buri and police have now arrested a 27 year old man who is alleged to have confessed to his crime, saying he was haunted by her spirit.
Boonlai Buaman is working for a company in tambon Lad Takhian as an electrician and had worked with his victim while also living in the same block of rented rooms she did. According to police, the man claims he was in love with her, so he kidnapped her on November 14 after entering her room and trying to have sex with her but being refused.
He allegedly raped her and then brought her to an oil palm plantation nearby where he says the sound of a dog barking startled him and he feared being caught. He allegedly dragged the woman away with him and jumped with her into a pond to escape.
Police say they believe the Burmese woman could not swim and drowned in the pond. The Thai man allegedly told police that he left her and went to work the next day following his normal routine, but returned after work and retrieved her body. He moved her to a eucalyptus plantation and laid her on some car tyres that he then set fire to, police say.
The police later found the woman’s remains and opened an investigation. A doctor and several forensic officers examined her body and were later able to determine the identity of the young Burmese woman. Further digging pointed towards Boonlai as the primary suspect.
He had fled to Sa Kaeo after setting her body on fire and police were able to track him down and arrest him at a relative’s house there. The man allegedly confessed to the brutal crimes and said he couldn’t sleep for 3 days because the woman’s spirit was haunting him. He gave alms to monks early each morning to no avail, and he finally broke down and called his victim’s older sister before he was arrested and taken into custody where he faces legal repercussions.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
