Phuket police have doubts over mum’s suicide

PHUKET: Cherng Talay Police are investigating the death of a mother who was found hanged from a beam in the family’s Phuket home yesterday.

When officers arrived at the house in Bang Tao, her 13-year-old son was crying nearby and her husband was sitting in front of the house drunk and incoherent.

Duty Officer Lt Col Yodpat Suwannasit told the Phuket Gazette that he was notified of the incident at about 3pm.

Officers and rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation arrived at the scene to find 39-year-old Sawat Chaykaew, originally from Surin province, hanged by a wire tied to a high crossbeam under the roof.

However, her feet were easily touching the floor when officers arrived.

“Her husband was quite drunk and sitting outside the house with a co-worker. His speech was very unclear; we could not understand him at all, so we questioned the co-worker,” said Lt Col Yodpat.

Through the co-worker, who was not named, police learned that Ms Sawat and her husband, Mr Pond, made light furniture at their Bang Tao home.

“He said they often drank and that they have two sons, one 13 years old and the other, 10, the policeman said.

Police are continuing their investigation, he added.

“We will question Mr Pond when he is capable of providing coherent answers,” he said.

Relatives claimed Ms Sawat’s body yesterday and are currently returning to her home province of Surin, where she will be cremated.

— Wichai Witthawat