Thai man suspected of beheading his father at home in Songkhla

Police suspected a Thai man of beheading his father at their home in a rubber plantation in the southern province of Songkhla.

Sadao Police Station officers in Sadao district of Songkhla investigated a one-story house in the rubber plantation, yesterday, April 16, after being notified of the discovery of a dead body. The deceased was identified as 56 year old Thai man named Wichai.

Wichai was found lying dead in the kitchen inside the house, wearing only underwear. His head had been decapitated and placed near his body. Police believed Wichai died about four days before being discovered.

The knife, suspected to be used in his murder, was found near Wichai’s body. The weapon was clean before being placed there but police collected it for further DNA testing.

Upon further investigation, it emerged that Wichai lived at the house with his son, 33 year old Tiwakorn, who was absent during the inquiry. Neighbours reported seeing Tiwakorn departing the family residence on his motorcycle before the police arrived.

Residents in the vicinity tracked down Tiwakorn and apprehended him. He was subsequently taken to the police station for interrogation. Tiwakorn vehemently denied any involvement in his father’s murder, asserting that he had been visiting his mother at another residence since April 9 and returned to discover his father’s lifeless body.

Police reported that Wichai divorced his wife and Tiwakorn was the only son living with him. Tiwakorn had a history of drug use and mental illness. He received treatment for a mental issue eight years ago but the symptoms still sometimes reappeared.

Police have not yet pressed any legal charges against Tiwakorn thus far. They have stated their intention to conduct more thorough questioning of his mother, siblings, and neighbours.

According to Thai PBS, the police harbour suspicions about Tiwakorn’s friends potentially being implicated in Wichai’s murder. As a result, they plan to summon Tiwakorn’s friends for questioning as part of their investigation.

A similar incident was reported two weeks ago in the southern province of Surat Thai when a 32 year old Thai man named Nattaporn beheaded his mother and ate her brain.

After the murder, he carried his mother’s head and walked around the palm plantation near his home. A doctor found Nattaporn was suffering from a mental illness but never received treatment. He would be under treatment until he can join police questioning.