Thai man kills sister-in-law in Chiang Mai following attempted rape
Police arrested a Thai man for killing his sister-in-law after she resisted an attempted rape at a rented house in Hang Dong district, Chiang Mai. He initially presented himself as a witness in the case.
The victim, a 22 year old waitress, U-sa, also known as Praew, failed to turn up for work. Her employer and a colleague went to check on her at a rented house in a longan orchard in Hang Dong district. They found the door open and received no response when calling out to her.
The colleague went upstairs to the second floor and saw Praew lying still. She immediately came back down without checking further and contacted police, suspecting foul play.
Officers from Hang Dong Police Station attended the scene and confirmed Praew had passed away in her bedroom. Police found that her trousers had been removed, and there were traces of strangulation on her neck. Investigators believed she had died about two days before her body was discovered.
Police initially considered possible motives including theft, sexual assault or adultery. Five men were summoned for questioning, including her ex-boyfriend, her current boyfriend, the landlord and two other men described as close to her. Police said none was deemed suspicious at that stage.
Praew’s cousin and her husband, 31 year old Phanuwat, who lived in another house in the same orchard, also came forward as witnesses. Police later found evidence indicating Phanuwat was responsible for the killing.
Phanuwat later confessed. He told investigators he drank alcohol at a grocery store near the house on March 5 and said he became aroused. He then went to Praew’s home and found her asleep in a second-floor bedroom.
Phanuwat attempted to rape her, but she fought back. He then grabbed her by the neck. When she continued to resist, he used an electric wire from a hair straightener to strangle her until she became unresponsive.
He told police he did not realise she had died and removed her trousers in an attempt to sexually assault her. He claimed he stopped after seeing she was menstruating.
Phanuwat said he then realised she was dead and tried to make it appear the case was a theft. He threw Praew’s bag and hat into a rubbish bin in front of the house and cleaned the doorknobs with paint thinner.
As he was leaving, he encountered a parcel delivery rider who arrived with a package for Praew. Police said Phanuwat paid for the parcel before leaving the scene and travelling to his family home in another district.
Police said the interaction with the delivery rider led investigators to focus on Phanuwat, and he was questioned further before admitting to the crime.
Phanuwat has been charged under Section 288 of the Criminal Law, intentional murder, which carries penalties of the death sentence, life imprisonment or imprisonment of 15 to 20 years.
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