BURI RAM: Police are hunting a man suspected of killing his elderly father, who was found buried behind his house in Ban Mai Chaiphot district of this northeastern province.
The dead man, Pae Chaleepham, 72, was reported missing on Friday. His body was found buried behind house No.28 at Ban Sok Nat in tambon Daeng Yai on Sunday by friends and relatives who were looking for him.
They found a freshly dug pit hastily filled in and covered with two dried coconut branches. They reported their discovery to Pol Col Su-ek Chinthanasap, the Ban Mai Chaiphot police chief.
Police, rescuers and a doctor from Ban Mai Chaiphot Hospital went to the scene. They excavated the hole and found Pae's body about one metre down.
He was wearing trousers but no shirt. There were two deep cuts on his face and many others about his head, arms and body. His right ear was sliced nearly off, police said.
His relatives told police they believed Pae was killed and buried by his son, Wichian, 41, who also disappeared from the house on Friday. They had seen Pae being beaten by his son on many occasions.
Piyawan Dokthaisong, 35, Pae's niece, said her uncle had lived in the house with his son since his wife died.
Before Pae went missing on Friday she had heard him quarrelling with Mr Wichian. His son wanted to take his father's state welfare card to buy things, but Pae would not allow it.
Police launched a search for Mr Wichian.