NAKHON PATHOM — Police are searching for a Dutchman suspected of killing his Thai wife at their Sam Phran district home over her frequent online chats.
Police found the body of Pornpan Kaewkok-klang, 35, on the second floor of her two-storey townhouse in Monthicha housing estate in tambon Hom Kret on Tuesday afternoon.
Her father, Kamsorn, 60, said he came to check on Pornpan after he could not reach her for three days, only to find her body in the living room. Mr Kamsorn said his daughter had been with a 40-year-old Netherlands national named Matthew Mannen for two years and just moved in to the house three months ago. Mr Mannen's whereabouts are unknown.
Sam Phran district investigator Charnthanapat Salimasakul said Pornpan's head and face appeared to have been struck with a hard object and a damaged tablet computer was found near her body.
A handwritten message in English, believed to have been penned by Mr Mannen, was found on the wall. It reproached the deceased. Forensic experts believed Pornpan had been dead for at least three days.
Pol Lt Charnthanapat said neighbours heard the couple had a loud argument on Saturday night and saw Mr Mannen drive a pickup truck out the next morning and had not returned. Some reported they heard the quarrel was over the woman's frequent use of Facebook and the Line messaging app. The fight, they said, went on for an hour.
Police assumed the suspect may have killed his wife in a fit of jealous rage. He may have struck her with a hard object or the tablet and fled the arrest on the next day.
Mr Mannen's image had been sent to all immigration checkpoints across the country to prevent him from fleeing the country, the officer said.