Thai mother and daughter found dead in Pattaya home

A mother and her daughter were found dead in their home in Nong Prue subdistrict, East Pattaya yesterday, July 19.

The lifeless bodies of 67 year old Rattanaphan and her 35 year old daughter, Prangnalin were discovered together on a bed in their single-detached house.

Police, who cordoned off the scene, uncovered a disturbing array of items on the bedside table: a container of sodium nitrite grade AR, a mortar and pestle, an electronic scale, two glasses, and suicide notes. The notes detailed their agonising struggle with severe illnesses and their decision to end their lives after much contemplation.

Rattanaphan had been battling stage 3 lung cancer, while her daughter suffered from an autoimmune disease. They expressed regret for not being able to care for Chak (alias), the husband and father, in his final days, and signed the notes.

Chak recounted to investigators the distressing moments leading to the discovery. Concerned after the two women left their Bangkok home without notice, the 67 year old man searched for them at the East Pattaya house, which his wife, Rattanaphan had purchased. Finding their car outside and receiving no answer to his calls, he used a spare key to enter the house. Inside, he was met with the harrowing sight of his wife and daughter’s lifeless bodies. Overwhelmed with shock, he immediately alerted the police.

Investigators suspect that the deaths were the result of suicide by ingesting a harmful substance. The bodies have been sent for autopsy to confirm the exact cause of death before being released to the family for religious rites, reported Pattaya Mail.

If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. Seek help.