Court jails ‘Uncle Phol’ for 26 years over his toddler niece’s mysterious death
Family tragedy turned rural celebrity saga ends concludes with life behind bars
The Court of Appeal Region 4 yesterday, August 13, sentenced Uncle Phol, the uncle of a young Thai girl who mysteriously died on a mountain in the Isaan province of Mukdahan five years ago, to 26 years in prison, while dismissing the case against his wife.
One of the most publicised cases in Thailand in recent years was the death of three year old Orrawan “Chompoo” Wongsicha, who disappeared from the home of her uncle and aunt, Chaiphol “Phol” Wipha and Somporn “Tan” Larbpho, on May 11, 2020.
Chompoo’s naked body was later discovered on Phu Lek Fai Mountain by Phol on May 14, 2020, about two kilometres from the house. He was filmed by several news outlets crying near the girl’s body.
Chompoo’s parents suspected Phol of murder, claiming he was suspiciously affectionate towards their daughter. Members of the public also identified Phol as the prime suspect.
An autopsy revealed that Chompoo had starved to death. There were no signs of physical or sexual assault. No witnesses saw how she ended up on the mountain, and no DNA evidence linked the suspects to the scene.
As media coverage of the case grew, so did Phol’s public profile. He grew a large fan following, was gifted a new house, secured endorsement deals, and even pursued a career as a singer.
On May 17, 2021, police announced they had found suspicious hair samples at the scene. On June 1, 2021, they issued an arrest warrant for Phol, charging him with removing a minor under 15 from her parents, leaving a child under nine without care until death, and attempting to alter the autopsy results by tampering with the body.
Phol’s wife, who is also the biological sister of Chompoo’s mother, was also charged with tampering with the body to influence the autopsy results.
Phol was initially sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating Section 291 of the Criminal Law (reckless conduct resulting in death) and Section 317 (abducting a minor under 15 from their parents or guardians). The court dismissed Tan’s case and granted the couple temporary release on bail of 780,000 baht.
In the appeal verdict delivered yesterday, the court reconsidered the case and found Phol guilty of three offences, increasing his sentence to 26 years’ imprisonment:
- Section 288: Intentional murder by leaving a child under nine without care until death (15 years).
- Section 317: Abducting a minor under 15 from parents or guardians (10 years).
- Section 150: Tampering with a corpse or the crime scene in an attempt to influence the autopsy or legal outcome (one year).
The court again dismissed the case against Tan. Phol reportedly applied for temporary bail, but as his request was filed outside court working hours, he was immediately transferred to Mukdahan Provincial Prison following the verdict.
To this day, it remains unclear how Chompoo ended up on the mountain. The motive for Phol’s alleged abandonment of the girl has also not been disclosed.
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