Kathu woman brutally slain

KATHU: A 40-year-old woman died of multiple stab wounds to the body, head and throat, inflicted by an intruder who forced his way into her home near Tung Tong Market early Monday morning.

Pol Lt Col Passakorn Sonthikul of Tung Tong Police Station said that the murder was reported about 8 am on Monday by Thavorn “Pae Lian” Kajkla, who identified the victim as his “second wife”, Nongying “Sao” Sengton.

Pae Lian, 72, is a property owner in Kathu, where his business interests include home rentals.

Initial investigations revealed that the front door to K. Sao’s home was forced open. Police suspect that the intruder then gained access to the victim’s bedroom, where the murder took place, by removing ceiling tiles in the bathroom and climbing over an interior wall.

K. Sao’s body was found lying face down on the floor, dressed in purple pajamas. There were signs of a struggle, with bloodstains covering the bed and floor. Skin and hair, presumably from the attacker, were found under her fingernails.

Fingerprints and other forensic evidence were collected by police officers, and K. Sao’s body was sent to Patong Hospital for examination.

K. Sao was home alone when the attack occurred, Col Passakorn said. He estimated the time of death about 3 am.

Noting that her body had 15 deep stab wounds, he added, police suspect that a “personal conflict” was the likely motive for the killing.

However, police are not ruling out that K. Sao may have been murdered for her possessions, as a gold necklace, gold bracelet and a single gold earring were noted as missing from the scene.

Col Passakorn added that evidence from the crime scene suggests that more than one person was involved in the attack, but that only one person entered the home, while one or more accomplices waited outside.

Tung Tong Police are now collecting evidence in the case and checking local gold shops to confirm whether K. Sao’s jewelry has been sold, hoping it will allow them to trace the killer.

Following an examination at Patong Hospital, K. Sao’s body was handed over to her relatives and returned to her native Nakhon Sri Thammarat Province.

K. Sao’s relatives said they were unaware of any personal conflicts she was involved in that might have led to her murder, Col Passakorn said.