Woman’s body in suitcase identified as Lao millionaire

UPDATE

The dead woman’s body in a suitcase, which was found in the Mekong River in the Isaan province of Nakhon Phanom last week, has been identified as a Laos business owner and millionaire. Her five year old daughter and husband are also missing.

Thai police tried to identify the woman from her designer clothing while her body was sent to the Srinagarind Hospital in Khon Kaen province for an autopsy without success. The police made an appeal for someone to come forward if they were missing a family member.

A relative of the dead woman came forward and confirmed it was 40 year old Wipaporn (surname reserved). The Laos woman later took a DNA test to prove they were related.

Wipaporn was the chief executive of one of the biggest construction companies in the Vientiane Prefecture of Laos.

According to Thairath, Wipaporn married twice and had four children. Her five year old daughter and latest husband are both missing.

Media in Laos reported that Wipaporn’s Mercedez-Benze car was found abandoned near the Mekong River bank on the Laos side.

Thai police reported that they have no jurisdiction to investigate the case and that they will hand over all the evidence they have gathered to Laos officials for further investigation and prosecution.

The Superintendent of the That Phanom Police Station in Nakhon Phanom province, Tawin Kankate, reported that the relatives would like to have a funeral service in Thailand.

Wipaporn’s body is currently resting in a charity foundation cemetery in the Isaan province of Mukdahan. The ceremony will take place after the case is concluded.

ORIGINAL STORY: Woman’s body in luggage found floating in Mekong River

Royal Thai Marine Corps police yesterday found a suitcase stuffed with the body of a dead woman floating in the Mekong River in the Isaan province of Nakhon Phanom.

Officers from Nakhon Phanom Provincial Marine Police Station fished the luggage out of the Mekong about 20 metres away from the station’s dock.

Officers from That Phanom Police Station, That Phanom Crown Prince Hospital, and a rescue team helped investigate the floating suitcase.

Inside the 90 centimetres by 60 centimetres case, officers found a black bag with the corpse of a fair-skinned woman about 160 centimetres in height. Officers believe the woman was about 40 years old. A huge rock was also found inside the bag.

The woman was dressed in a blue tank top and full-length blue jeans. A pair of glasses and a white jacket were also in the luggage.

An officer reported that the woman might not be local to the area and had a reasonable standard of living judging by the designer clothing she was wearing and the items found inside her case, which included Jaspal, Lee Cooper, Sabina, Fila, and Gucci.

The police reported that the woman had one wound on her face and there were no documents revealing her identity. Police believe she had been dead for more than five days.

An officer suspects the luggage floated from Bueng Kan province or from a neighbouring country to Thailand.

The media reported that local Thai fishermen saw the luggage three days ago but thought that it was just trash.

The body has been sent to Srinagarind Hospital in Khon Kaen province for an autopsy.

Police are appealing to anyone who could provide any useful information about the floating luggage or a missing person to call 09-8198-6229 or the 191 hotline.