Thai man suspected of drowning baby in Pathum Thani canal
Police are hunting for a Thai man suspected of abandoning and drowning his 10 month old baby in a canal in the central province of Pathum Thani.
A local fisherman, Prachak Wangchuechom, cast a fishing net in Song Canal in Soi Phahonyothin 64 in the Lam Luk Ka district of Pathum Thani at about 7am yesterday, March 13, and found a mysterious black backpack tangled in his net.
Prachak removed the bag from his net to cast it again when he noticed a strong, unpleasant smell emanating from the bag. Upon opening it, he discovered a plastic bag and rocks. He suspected foul play and immediately alerted officers from Kukot Police Station to conduct a further investigation.
Police found the lifeless body of the 10 month old baby boy wrapped in three layers of plastic bags. Based on the condition of the body, officers suspected the baby died at least three days before its discovery. The rocks were placed inside the bag to weigh it down and sink the body to the bottom of the canal.
The spot where Prachak discovered the body was near a restaurant, so police reviewed security footage from the area. They identified a Thai man arriving at the scene on his motorcycle at about 4.45am on Tuesday, March 11. He approached the canal bank and remained there for five minutes before leaving.
Officers suspect this man may be the baby’s father and are conducting a search to question him further.
In a separate incident, another lifeless baby was found in a ditch overgrown with trees and rubbish in the central province of Ayutthaya on March 3. The couple who is responsible for abandoning the baby at that location.
In a more fortunate case, a monk from Saman Rattanaram Temple discovered an abandoned baby at the temple’s entrance.
Fortunately, the baby boy was still alive, and the monk agreed to care for him, promising to provide a proper education as the child grows up.
Subsequently, a Thai couple admitted to abandoning their baby at the temple, claiming they could not afford to care for him and believed the monks would be better suited to provide support. The baby has since been returned to his family and is now living under the care of his grandparents.
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