Murder-suicide in Kuku

PHUKET TOWN: Two bodies were discovered yesterday morning in a rented room on Soi Tah Cheen, Baan Kuku, apparently the victims of a murder-suicide. Pol Lt Kanuang Pitakkulthorn of Phuket Town Police Station told the Gazette that police broke down the door to the room after receiving complaints from neighbors about a bad smell. Inside, they found the body of a man hanging by a fishing line from a beam in the kitchen. The body of a woman was found on the bed, covered with a blanket. She had severe lacerations to her neck and throat. Both were estimated to have been dead for at least 48 hours. Shortly after police arrived at the scene, a young woman arrived and identified the dead woman as her mother, Siriwan Ekwanish, 42, who had disappeared two days earlier. The dead man was identified as 48-year-old Kumsing Karapunk. The daughter told police that her mother had married Kumsing 18 months ago. He and Siriwan often argued about his drinking habits, and Siriwan had separated from him a few months earlier. The daughter believed that her mother might have returned to Kumsing’s room to attempt a reconciliation. Police believe that Kumsing became angry and used the fishing line first to strangle Siriwan, then to hang himself.