Body found in communication cable pipe tunnel at Pathum Thani

A body was found inside a communication cable pipe tunnel on the road at 2.30am this morning, January 10, along Khlong Ha Thanyaburi – Khlong Luang in front of the Homeless Protection Center in Pathum Thani Province, Village No. 2, Rangsit Subdistrict, Thanyaburi District, Pathum Thani province.

Police Lieutenant Deputy Inspector Putthapong Yokchom (Investigator), of Thanyaburi Police Station, Pathum Thani Province, received a report about the incident. Officers arrived at the scene to investigate together with Ruamkatanyu Foundation volunteers and the Thanyaburi Electricity Authority Branch Officer.

At the scene of the incident in the middle of the road, an asphalt concrete road surface was dug out. The area of the steel pipe cover of the communication cable, about 70 centimetres wide, layout in the open. The lid was placed on a pile of asphaltic concrete that had been dug. A body was found inside the water-filled pipe, believed to have drowned.

Thanyaburi Electricity Authority officials were employed to investigate whether there had been an electrical leak. None was found. Volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation then lowered themselves into the pipe, before using a white cloth to extract the deceased’s body.

It was found to be a man of approximately 35 to 40 years of age, wearing a grey long-sleeved shirt and trousers of the same colour, with black sneakers and grey gloves. The deceased also donned a green and white reflective vest. Inside, no documents issued by the government were found nor were there any signs of assault, reported Daily News.

Eyewitness and aftermath

An employee of the Homeless Protection Centre, 38 year old Chisanupong Mukda, revealed that at the time of the incident, he was about to enter the centre when a fellow worker of the deceased ran to ask him to help his friend who was trapped inside the pipe. When he looked down into the pipe he saw a reflective vest. The group of workers near the pipe refused to go down and help as they feared danger. Shortly after, some of the workers reported that someone had died.

The police and rescue workers were subsequently summoned to help. The workers placed rubber cones in the middle of the road near the site of the accident and drove the pickup truck away from the scene immediately. Chisanupong recounted that there were two pickup trucks, around six men and women, and a Honda motorcycle Sonic model. They drove away towards the road along Khlong Ha, heading towards Khlong Luang District and did not return to check on the deceased.

Pol. Lt. Putthipong had inspected the scene, and taken photographs as evidence as well as those taken by eyewitnesses. A photo of the licence plate of the pickup truck was sent to the investigation department to track down the owner of the vehicle for questioning. With the help of volunteers from the Ruamgratitude Foundation, the body of the deceased was transferred to the Institute of Forensic Science, Thammasat University Hospital for further investigation.