Repeat Thai offender admits to murder, sexual assault of homeless victim
A Thai homeless man admitted to the murder of a fellow vagrant, whose body was found near Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok on November 28. He also confessed to sexually assaulting the deceased.
The unidentified victim’s body was discovered on the side of Kamphaengphet 6 Road, with a severe head wound and concealed under banana leaves. A bloodstained backpack and clothing, believed to belong to the victim, were found nearby but no personal identification documents were present.
Officers from Don Mueang Police Station investigated the case and successfully arrested the suspect on December 1 on Phahon Yothin Road in the Thanyaburi district of Pathum Thani province, near Bangkok.
The suspect initially identified himself as Phiphan Sae, but police later determined this was a false name. His real identity was confirmed as 36 year old Chalongrath “Ta” Kong-osot. He is a homeless man who has been living beneath the Kheha BTS Station.
Chalongrath told police that he encountered the victim sleeping on the footpath while walking along Kamphaengphet 6 Road in an intoxicated state. He admitted that he intended to sexually assault the victim and struck him on the head with a piece of broken cement pole.
The victim lost consciousness but Chalongrath delayed his assault, choosing instead to smoke a cigarette before returning to the scene. Fearing the victim might regain consciousness, he struck him again with the cement pole.
Chalongrath claimed he attempted to rape the victim but failed due to erectile dysfunction. On a second attempt, he again failed and resorted to masturbating. Worried the victim might later report him, he repeatedly struck the victim on the head, killing him.
Before leaving the scene, Chalongrath covered the body with banana leaves. He then returned to the Kheha BTS Station, where he met another homeless man. The pair travelled together by train to Pathum Thani before parting ways.
Chalongrath was charged with intentional murder and concealing a body. The potential penalties include the death sentence, life imprisonment, or a prison term of 15 to 20 years.
ThaiRath reported that Chalongrath has a lengthy criminal record. He was imprisoned in 2006 for murdering a parent and again in 2017 for robbery and aggravated assault. He was released from prison last year following another assault case in 2022, only to be incarcerated again this year for this latest, more severe crime.
ORIGINAL STORY: Thai man finds head-scratching scene near Bangkok airport
A Thai man stumbled upon the body of an unidentified man with a severe head wound on the side of Kamphaengphet 6 Road, near Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, yesterday, November 28.
The 57 year old man, Banjong, alerted officers from Don Mueang Police Station to a grassy area along Kamphaengphet 6 Road, where the body was discovered. Banjong said he noticed a swarm of flies gathered on the ground above banana leaves, which aroused his suspicion.
On closer inspection, Banjong noticed the tips of some human feet beneath the leaves. Shocked by the discovery, he sought help from a 45 year old pedestrian named Songphon. Both men refrained from examining the body further and decided to contact the police.
According to a police report, the body was that of a man, though his identity could not be established due to a lack of personal belongings or documents. The deceased was described as a dark-skinned plump man with a severe head wound. He was wearing a dark blue shirt and dark blue shorts but no shoes.
The man’s face was covered with banana leaves, which appeared to be cut from a nearby banana tree. Near the body, under a pole of the Red Line MRT railway track, police found blue sports shorts, a grey T-shirt, and a black backpack, all stained with blood.
Additionally, a broken cement pole with bloodstains was discovered nearby, along with evidence suggesting the body was dragged to the location.
Police are currently reviewing security camera footage from the area to identify the perpetrator. Residents are being questioned to gather information about the deceased.
In a related incident, the body of an unidentified man with a tattoo reading “HOPE CLUB” was found floating in the sea near Bang Saray in Chon Buri province on November 20. The man is believed to be a foreigner who died three to six days before his discovery.
No progress has been reported in identifying this man or determining the cause of his death.
