Drug-addicted Thai man murders former employer in plantation

A drug-addicted Thai man fatally attacked his former female employer at a palm plantation in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat on Tuesday after she and her girlfriend unexpectedly terminated his employment.

Officers from Chang Klang Police Station were called to a house in the palm plantation in the Chawang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat on Tuesday, November 19, to investigate the death of 34 year old Wan. Upon arrival, police found Wan lying face down on the plantation with severe injuries across her body.

Wan’s neck was deeply slashed, nearly severing her head from her body. The brutal attack left Wan’s girlfriend, 30 year old Arisa, in shock. Arisa was found trembling and visibly terrified.

Witnesses to the incident reported that the perpetrator, known as “Big,” fled the scene on his motorcycle. They described seeing Big chasing Wan and Arisa through the plantation and towards the couple’s home, wielding a knife.

While attempting to escape, Wan stumbled and fell to the ground, at which point Big attacked her with the knife. The savagery of the attack shocked onlookers, leaving them too terrified to intervene.

Police apprehended Big the following day at a relative’s house in the same district. He confessed that his initial target was Arisa, with whom he argued over the termination of his employment contract.

Big admitted to taking drugs before the attack and said he approached the couple with a knife, ultimately committing the murder.

Big now faces three charges:

• Intentional murder under Section 288 of the Criminal law: Punishable by the death penalty, life imprisonment, or imprisonment for 15 to 20 years.
• Drug use under Section 162 of the Narcotics Control Act: Punishable by up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both.
• Attempted murder of Arisa: Punishable by half the penalty for murder under Section 288 of the Criminal Law