Thai police find body in 5 million baht ransom case of TikTok star

The Royal Thai Police (RTP) provided an update on the case of a Chinese student and TikTok star who went missing after a ransom demand of 1 million yuan (approximately 5 million baht). Yesterday, July 14, at 10.30am, investigators discovered a body believed to be Yan’s in a grassy area in Chachoengsao province.

Police and relevant agencies tracked the 38 year old’s phone signal to Chachoengsao and reviewed CCTV footage from July 1 to July 3. The footage revealed that Qingyan Ma, an alleged friend of Yan, had rented a car and taken her to the location. Yan’s burned suitcase was later found in the area. Ma left his apartment in the Srinakarin area of Bangkok and flew to Hong Kong that same afternoon.

From July 4 to July 6, Yan’s WeChat Pay account was used in Macau. Investigators suspect Ma is linked to Yan’s disappearance.

Yan’s body was discovered buried 20 centimetres deep under waste tiles in Mueang Chachoengsao, approximately 1 kilometre from where her suitcase was found. An initial autopsy indicated that the body had been buried for over ten days and was severely decomposed due to stagnant water in the soil.

Bloodstains were located in Ma’s Bangkok apartment and rental car. DNA tests are underway to compare the blood to the father of the TikTok star.

Yan’s family, unaware of her relationship with Ma, were informed by her brother-in-law, who had received the ransom call.

Ma, the suspect, has since travelled to Macau. Once Yan’s identity is confirmed, relevant agencies will seek an international warrant for Ma’s arrest and coordinate with international agencies to bring him to justice. However, Thai police have not publicly revealed the motive behind Yan’s murder as of the latest update, reported Pattaya News.

In related news, an 87 year old woman with dementia was tragically found dead after wandering away from her home in Mueang Chai Nat District. Despite the family’s two-day search, her body was discovered only 100 metres from her residence.