Human remains found dumped in a deserted area of Chachoengsao are believed to belong to a missing Chinese woman who was reported to have been kidnapped for ransom in Bangkok nearly two weeks ago, say police.
A search team led by Pol Maj Gen Noppasil Poolsawat, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB), inspected the deserted site near a housing estate in tambon Bang Phra of Muang district in the eastern province around noon on Saturday.
They found a skeleton, including human legs, that they believe could belong to Yan Ruimin, 38.
Investigators are coordinating with forensic officers to carry out DNA tests of the body parts.
Authorities began the search after Chinese national Cai Boxuan told police at the Bang Rak station in Bangkok on Friday that his friend Ms Yan was missing.
The last time he heard from her was on June 30 when she told him that she would go to Phuket on July 2. He said he feared she might be in danger.
According to a police source, Ms Yan’s relatives grew concerned after not hearing from her for some time, so they came to Thailand and asked the Chinese embassy for help. A suspect subsequently contacted them and demanded a ransom of 1 million yuan (5 million baht) for Ms Yan’s release.
The source said the suspect was identified as Ma Qingyan and a check found that he rented a car in Bangkok on June 30.
On July 1, Ms Yan was seen getting into the car at Times Square near Sukhumvit Soi 12, the source said, adding that security camera video showed the car heading to Sukhumvit Soi 16. Later in the evening, security cameras captured the Honda with the suspect and the woman inside it travelling on Rama IV Road.
The following day, the car left the Sukhumvit 16 address and headed to Chon Buri.
At about 2am on July 3, the car appeared in Chachoengsao before Ms Yan’s telephone signal went off in an area near a public park close to Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihan in Muang district.
Ma checked out of his Bangkok hotel later that day and flew to Hong Kong, the source said.
Police examined video from closed-circuit TV cameras along the route to Chachoengsao, focussing on locations where the rental car had stopped.
Local media reported that a check of the car’s GPS showed that it travelled to a fish farm in Muang district. Police found an item of burned luggage, believed to belong to the missing woman, in tambon Bang Phra. The search eventually brought them to the site where they found the body parts.
An image from a security camera shows Yan Ruimin checking her phone as she walks in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok on July 1.
A police officer inspects the scene where human body parts were discovered in Chachoengsao on Saturday. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)