Thai man arrested for rape and murder of 75 year old woman in Isaan

Police arrested a local man yesterday for the brutal rape and murder of a 75 year old Thai woman in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo.

The victim’s grandson, 27 year old Sittichai, discovered the dead body of his grandmother, 75 year old Boonnam Cherngkhao, in a sugar cane field near an abandoned car showroom in the Sa Kaeo province on January 6 and reported the death to Mueang Sakaeo Police Station.

Sittichai told police that Boonnam earned her living by collecting and selling recycled waste. She left home at 9am to collect plastic bottles from a police booth on Highway number 33 and did not return home.

Sittichai decided to look for her at about 2pm by walking along the road until he reached the abandoned car showroom. He spotted drops of blood and drag marks leading into the sugar cane field and followed them to find his grandmother’s lifeless body.

Boonnam was lying face up in the field and half naked. Police believe she was raped and murdered. A bag of construction tools, clothes and an axe, believed to belong to the killer, were found near her body.

Police reported that the murderer might be a Thai man, later identified as 45 year old Somchai Buasing. Somchai arrived in the area by a public bus three days ago and sought shelter at the police booth.

He asked for food and drink from the officers and requested to stay at the police booth while waiting for a bus to travel to Saraburi province. He disappeared from the place after the incident.

Officers searched for the alleged murderer until they successfully arrested him yesterday, January 7, not far from the incident scene. Somchai reportedly admitted to killing the victim but denied raping her. Police were not convinced by his confession and continued their questioning until Somchai confessed to the rape.

Somchai said he saw Boonnam walking alone by the side of the road and approached her. He dragged her into the cane field, beat her to death with a stone and sexually assaulted her.

Somchai had been previously arrested in the Wang Somboon district of Sa Kaeo for illegal possession of a firearm.