A former illegal overseas migrant worker has been placed on suicide watch after being arrested for killing his 10-year-old daughter at a resort in Uttaradit, the provincial police said on Thursday.
Sitthanan (surname not given), 25, was caught in Tha Pla district on Wednesday while on the run after murdering his daughter, Koi, on Monday.
Police said Mr Sitthanan confessed to the killing, saying he had been under tremendous pressure from having gone overseas to work illegally and being deported back to Thailand.
The illegal employment resulted in a large amount of debt, which he was unable to repay. Believing there was no way out of his financial predicament, he decided to kill his daughter and then himself.
However, when the time came, he became fearful about killing himself.
Pol Maj Gen Sutthipong Pekthong, commander of the Uttaradit provincial police, said Mr Sitthanan had been transferred from the Tha Pla police station and was being held in the Muang station.
Police have been keeping watch on Mr Sitthanan around the clock as he is thought to be a suicide risk.
The commander said the man had admitted trying to take his own life several times, even after backing out of killing himself after killing his daughter.
According to Pol Maj Gen Sutthipong, Mr Sitthanan had planned the murder for at least two days before taking Koi from his parents’ home in tambon Sri Phanom Mat in Laplae district to a resort in Muang district.
There, Mr Sitthanan smothered his daughter with a pillow before cutting her wrists.
He then fled on a motorcycle to Tha Pla, where police apprehended him.
The police commander said Mr Sitthanan is a single parent, although Koi, his only child, had been living with her grandparents in tambon Sri Phanom Mat.
Mr Sitthanan told police he was desperate on account of the large debt he owed.
He said he wanted to attend his daughter’s funeral to apologise to her, but police have denied the request.
Mr Sitthanan was charged with murder and could face more charges soon.
Pol Col Kraisit Pompatima, chief of Muang district police, said Mr Sitthanan’s parents had told police their son was suffering from depression. However, investigators were not convinced as sufferers tend to hurt themselves rather than others.
Mr Sitthanan’s father, who was not named, said that after returning from overseas, his son had landed a job at a courier company in Uttaradit. He was a loving father to his daughter, he said.
He said his son picked Koi up from his home to take her for a meal and see a movie together.
Later, when the grandparents texted Mr Sitthanan asking where he was taking his daughter, he replied with what looked like a suicide note, they said.