Phuket Police investigate electrician beaten, strangled

PHUKET: Phuket Police are investigating the apparent strangling murder of an electrician whose decomposing body was discovered in his rented room this morning.

Thalang Police at 8am were informed by a landlord of a foul odor emanating from one of his rental homes opposite the TOT offices on Dom Chom Tao Road (Route 4030).

At the scene, one unit in a block of five attached dwellings, Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation workers found the door firmly locked.

With permission of the owner they forced the door open to discover the victim, later identified as 34-year-old Yiam Prasit, listed as a resident of Srisaket province.

Mr Yiam’s body was found lying face up on the cement floor clad only in a pair of camouflage shorts. His feet were bound at the ankles and he had a belt looped around his neck, indicating strangulation.

He had also suffered multiple wounds to his face and forehead, consistent with being beaten with a blunt object, said one rescue worker at the scene.

There were whisky bottles strewn around the room and a trail of dried blood indicated that Mr Yiam’s body had been dragged to a back bedroom by his attacker or attackers, he added.

Based on the decomposition of the body, police estimated the time of death at a minimum of three days before its discovery.

Kusoldharm workers transported the body to nearby Thalang Hospital, where it will be further examined and held until claimed by relatives.

The landlord told police he was contacted by the victim on January 5. He allowed him to move in under the agreement that he would sign the rental contract within five days.

Sharing the home with him were two other people, one man and one woman. The landlord believed they were electricians, as they had a work truck, tools and other equipment.

Police suspect that the man was drinking when a fight broke out and he was attacked and killed, his body dragged to the back bedroom to give the assailants more time to flee.

— Wichai Witthawat