A 50-year-old mentally deranged man strangled his elderly mother to death in Bangkok’s Thung Khru district on Wednesday, police said.
Manop Muangphuek was found sitting near the body of his mother, Talap Muangphuek, 77, by police and forensic officals sent to a two-storey house along Ratchaphreuk canal at Pracha-Uthit Soi 54 to investigate, said Pol Lt Col Chutima Yingsang, a duty officer at Thung Khru police station, who was alerted around 9am on Wednesday.
Mrs Talap was found dead with severe bruises on her face and neck. Mr Manop, was sitting there absent-mindedly and giving harsh stares at passers by, police said.
The man was taken to Thung Kru police station and the body of his mother was sent to Siriraj Hospital.
Urai, 52, a neighbour, told police that she heard loud noises from Mrs Talap’s house. She went to investigate and saw Mr Manop beating Mrs Talap. He then strangled his mother and she became unconscious. Mrs Urai said she had immediately shouted for help, but it was too late to save the life of her elderly neighbour, Thai media reported on Wednesday.
After the tragedy, Mrs Samniang, 46, a daughter of the victim, rushed to the house in shock. She told police that her mother had 10 children and Mr Manop, an elder brother, was the third child.
Her mother loved him a lot as he suffered from mental illness and had previously undergone treatment at Somdet Chaopraya psychiatric hospital, said Mrs Samniang. Her mother lived in the house with her brother after her father died last year, she said.
Pol Maj Gen Reuchakorn Jorjawut, chief of the Metropolitan Police Division 8, said the suspect confessed he had committed the crime, explaining he was stressed by his mental illness. He told police he knew what he was doing but could not control himself. He loved his mother a lot and felt remorse and guilt for his actions.
Police would take him for a medical examination and look at his mental treatment records. If the suspect was found to be mentally deranged he would be placed under closely watched medical treatment, said Pol Maj Gen Reuchakorn.