3 Thai teenagers suspected of murdering friend in Lop Buri dam
A Thai mother suspects three teenagers of murdering her 15 year old son and abandoning his body in a dam in the central province of Lop Buri, before fabricating a story that he had drowned.
The lifeless body of the teenager, Thunwa, was discovered floating face down in the Pasak Chonlasit Dam on April 18. The Ruamkatanyu Rescue Foundation was initially unable to identify the boy, as he had no identification documents or personal belongings with him.
Thunwa was found wearing a black T-shirt and black shorts. His skin appeared pale, and he had a cut on his lips, but no other visible injuries.
His body was transferred to a hospital for an autopsy, and details of the discovery were later shared on social media. Thunwa’s cousin visited the hospital and confirmed his identity with the police.
Although the death was initially ruled as drowning, Thunwa’s mother and aunt began to suspect foul play after noticing that none of Thunwa’s close friends attended his funeral.
The mother explained that her son spent most of his time with his aunt due to her busy work schedule. She last spoke with Thunwa during the Songkran festival, when he asked for permission to join his friends at the water-splashing celebrations.
Thunwa’s aunt told Amarin TV that several of his classmates voiced suspicions during the funeral, noting that his close friends, who attended the Songkran festival with him, were conspicuously absent.
Prompted by these concerns, the family reviewed CCTV footage from the dam. The footage showed Thunwa arriving at the dam with four other boys but only three were seen leaving without him. The boys never contacted the family about the incident or informed them of his disappearance.
According to other friends, the group later claimed they did not dare to inform the family about the drowning. They said they jumped into the dam in an attempt to save Thunwa but were unsuccessful, so they returned home.
However, the CCTV footage contradicted their account. The three teenagers were seen leaving the dam dry and unsoiled, as if they had never entered the water. They were also captured discarding Thunwa’s mobile phone and belongings into the water.
The family suspects that the three teenagers lured Thunwa to the dam to kill him over a conflict he had never mentioned to them or his other friends.
Thunwa’s mother said she received no updates from the police and feared her son might not receive justice. She turned to the Foundation Campaigning to Reclaim Social Justice for assistance. The organisation publicised the case, drawing greater attention to it.
Officers from Phatthana Nikhom Police Station, who are overseeing the case, have promised to bring justice to Thunwa and his family. They stated that they would continue reviewing CCTV footage and visiting the dam to gather further evidence.
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