Man confesses to gruesome murder of ex-girlfriend

SONGKHLA: A 26-year-old teacher surrendered to police yesterday and confessed to murdering his former girlfriend, who was found dead with multiple stab wounds in her car in this southern province on Thursday night.

Natthaphat Somkid, the prime suspect in the murder, was escorted to Muang Songkhla police station by his family to turn himself in. He allegedly stabbed his former girlfriend Soontree Samutararat, 29, who also worked as a teacher in another school in Songkhla.

After reportedly confessing to the charges, Mr Natthaphat was taken to the crime scene to look for the knife he allegedly used. He apparently told police that he had flung the murder weapon into a wooded area by the roadside.

Witnesses claim they saw a woman arguing with a man and then trying to flee, before she is caught and stabbed by the man, who then carried her back to the parked vehicle.

The murder on the Koh Taeo-Sam Kong road in Moo 1 village of tambon Koh Taeo was reported to police at about 10.30pm on Thursday. Songkhla's both district and provincial police chiefs showed up soon after to supervise the investigation.

The blood-soaked body of Ms Soontree was found in the front passenger seat, with her head resting on the dashboard, of a black Honda City car that was found to have been registered in her name in Krabi.

Police said the victim had been stabbed eight times, in the face and torso, which pointed to the killer's intense rage. A pair of women's shoes were found on the driver's seat.

Meanwhile, investigators found drops of blood on the road, but there was no sign of a weapon.

Police quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the woman had arrived there with her ex-boyfriend, but after a heated argument, she tried fleeing but was caught and stabbed repeatedly. The assailant then reportedly placed her back in the car.