Briton arrested for 'kicking Thai wife to death'

Briton arrested for 'kicking Thai wife to death'

Rescue workers prepare to remove the body of a 29-year-old woman found dead in front of her house in Ubon Ratchathani's Det Udom district on Monday morning. Her British husband, 51, was arrested after allegedly kicking her to death. (Photo taken from Det Udom-based Chee Tum Khor rescue foundation Facebook page)
Rescue workers prepare to remove the body of a 29-year-old woman found dead in front of her house in Ubon Ratchathani's Det Udom district on Monday morning. Her British husband, 51, was arrested after allegedly kicking her to death. (Photo taken from Det Udom-based Chee Tum Khor rescue foundation Facebook page)

UBON RATCHATHANI: A 51-year-old Briton was arrested on Monday for allegedly kicking his 29-year-old Thai wife to death in a fit of jealousy at a house in Det Udom district.

The body of the woman, identified as Kanda Smitham, was found lying dead with bruises to her face and body in front of the one-storey house in tambon Non Somboon when police arrived on Monday morning.  The woman, wearing only panties, was covered with a blanket. Police said she had been dead for several hours, Thai media reported.

Her British husband, Kevin Smitham, was standing behind the house. He confessed to having assaulted his wife by kicking her in the face in a fit of jealousy. He insisted he had no intention of killing her.

Pol Col Pattharapol Phothiar, chief of Det Udom police, said an initial investigation found that the couple were drinking beer with the woman's relatives at the house on Sunday night. At around 9pm, the relatives left the house.  

At around 5am on Monday, neighbours walking past the house saw Kanda lying on the front porch. On approaching, they found that she was dead and immediately alerted police.

The man was held in custody for legal action. 

Manager Online reported that Mr Smitham told police that after drinking beer with his wife on Sunday night, a quarrel erupted after he wanted to have sex with her, but she refused. He then became enraged, suspecting that she might have another lover. In a fit of jealousy, he kicked her several times in the face and the body. Kanda ran away and collapsed in front of the house. He let her lie there and later used a blanket to cover her body before going to bed. He said he had no intention of taking her life, the website reported.

Police were investigating.

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