NAKHON SI THAMMARAT - An arrest warrant has been issued for a former boyfriend of a Myanmar woman whose body was found in a pond behind a temple in Muang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The Nakhon Si Thammarat provincial court on Tuesday approved the police request for an arrest warrant for Pitthaya Bunyatsak, 27, on charges of premeditated murder and concealing or moving a human body or destroying it to cover up death or a crime.
Thuzar Aung, known as Nong Sa, 32, worked in a department store coffee shop in Muang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat and also posted as a social media influencer. She went missing on March 4 and her body was found in a pond behind Wat Thao Khod a week later, on Monday. She had three stab wounds - one to her throat and two in her chest.
Police investigators said Mr Pitthaya, alias Nai, was the victim's former boyfriend and the prime suspect. He had not been seen since March 4 and allegedly also stole a gold necklace weighing 3 baht from the victim and sold it to a gold shop.
He had left his motorcycle parked outside the victim’s room and went by motorcycle-taxi to the provincial bus terminal where he boarded a bus to Phuket. He got off in Krabi province. Police are searching for him.
A close friend of Thuzar Aung said on Tuesday that Mr Pitthaya had borrowed about 100,000 baht from the victim. After they ended their relationship she had asked him to pay back the money. He had not done so.
Thuzar Aung was known locally as a social media influencer and sold skin care products online in addition to working at the coffee shop.