Man admits to killing wife’s grandmother in northern Thailand

A tragic incident unfolded in Nong Bua Lamphu province as a Thai man confessed to the shocking murder of his wife’s grandmother and another family member, leaving the local community in disbelief. The man, Watthayu, overcome with remorse, admitted to the crime following a heated argument with his wife, Chanthana, also known as Nam.

The devastating turn of events led to a manhunt that concluded when vigilant factory workers spotted him near an ice plant, just 15 kilometres from the crime scene.

Yesterday at approximately 4pm, police received a tip-off from ice factory workers who identified a man resembling the suspect from online media reports.

The suspect, wearing black shorts and shirtless, was caught on surveillance cameras lurking near the factory in the village, not far from where the double homicide took place on a road between Sribunruang district and Si Chomphu district in Khon Kaen province, reported KhaoSod.

Upon confirmation from Chanthana that the man in the images was indeed her husband, Watthayu, the police swiftly moved to the ice plant. Watthayu surrendered to the authorities without resistance, and after being read his arrest warrant, he led the police to a motorcycle he had stolen and to the location where he discarded the murder weapon, a mere 100 metres from his hiding spot.

Watthayu recounted to the police and reporters that the conflict with his wife escalated when her grandmother, Kulab, confronted him about their marital issues, suggesting they separate. In a fit of rage, Watthayu used a knife to fatally attack his wife’s relatives.

Fleeing on the stolen motorcycle, he eventually ran out of fuel near the ice factory where he decided to hide, planning to surrender since the previous evening but lacking a phone to contact the authorities.

Chanthana expressed her grief, feeling responsible for calling her grandmother to the scene of the crime. She revealed that Watthayu was only one year her senior, not 35 as reported by some sources, and that they had met through a dating app after her previous marriage ended.

Acknowledging Watthayu’s volatile temper and the frequent abuse she suffered, Chanthana resolved to end their relationship, unable to forgive him for murdering her grandmother, who had raised her since childhood following her parents’ separation.

As police escorted Watthayu to the station, Chanthana, overwhelmed with emotion, followed at a distance and later confronted him, tearfully questioning how she would cope without her mother figure. Watthayu, tearful himself, remained silent in response to her heart-wrenching inquiries.