NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: An 89-year-old woman was found dead in a sack after disappearing from her home in this southern province on Friday along with valuables worth over 250,000 baht. Police were urgently searching for a suspect, a motorcycle taxi driver.
The elderly woman went missing after leaving her home on the back of a motorcycle taxi, police said. Her family feared for her safety as she had never been away from home for so long. She had taken with her approximately 10,000 baht in cash, a gold necklace weighing 5 baht, a gold ring weighing 2 salung, and a sacred amulet, totalling around 250,000 baht in value.
At around 1:30 PM today, the investigation team from Nakhon Si Thammarat City Police Station tracked the elderly woman using the last signal from her phone, police said. They found the signal in the area near Therdphra Kiat Road, close to the Sirinakhon Uthit intersection.
After continuous searching, the team discovered a suspicious area with drag marks leading into a field of reeds, according to police. Following the trail, they found a white sack emitting a foul odor. Upon opening the sack, they found a deceased person inside, curled up and face down.
The team quickly coordinated with Pol. Col. Sutthas Sangsayam, Deputy Commander of Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Police, Pol. Col. Kittichai Krai-nara, Superintendent of Nakhon Si Thammarat City Police Station, forensic police, a medical examiner, and rescue personnel from Pracharuamjai Foundation to investigate the scene.
The family confirmed the identity of the deceased, who had been dead for at least three days. All her valuables were missing, police said. The family and police suspected the motorcycle taxi driver seen in CCTV footage was the perpetrator.
The family reportedly expressed their frustration, stating they had searched the area previously but found nothing. They criticised the authorities for not cooperating, claiming there was no evidence until the body was discovered. They also mentioned efforts to retrieve CCTV footage from a bank in a shopping mall, which clearly showed both the victim and the suspect, but they had been unable to obtain it due to legal concerns.
A friend of the suspect, who knew the victim's family, reportedly described the suspect as a heavy drinker with no permanent residence, frequently renting short-term accommodations. Just minutes before the body was found, the suspect had called to invite the friend for drinks and gambling, claiming to be on Koh Samui, which the friend doubted.
The medical examiner conducted an initial autopsy at the scene but could not determine the exact cause of death, according to reports. The body was sent to Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital's forensic center for a detailed examination.