NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A woman and her six-year-old son were attacked and killed in a house in Muang district late on Saturday night.
Both of them had their throats slit with a knife.
A team of police rushed to house No.1569/3 on Mitrapap Road in Muang district on Saturday night after being informed by Orn-anong Chaiyong, 38, that her niece-in-law, Netchanok Malipa, 34, and her six-year-old son had disappeared.
After police forced open the house's locked front door, they switched on the lights and found the body of Netchanok's six-year-old son, Ratchaphum Kudpo, whose throat had been slit.
They found Netchanok's body near the kitchen. Her throat was also slashed.
The mother and her son were believed to have been killed more than 48 hours previously.
Ms Orn-anong told police that Netchanok and her son lived in the house and she frequently visited them. On July 17, Netchanok told her she would go to Chaiyaphum and they had not been in contact since.
About three days ago, she went to the house and found it locked. She returned to the house on Saturday and there was a strong smell coming from the inside.
A pickup truck belonging to Netchanok had also disappeared. Ms Orn-anong then alerted the police.
Pol Col Atthachon Chuangngam, superintendent of the Pho Klang police station, said the killing appeared to involve a lone assailant.
The house was not broken into, suggesting the killer knew the family.
He said the killer took the victim's pickup truck and that the motive of the murder was likely to be either a personal conflict or theft.