90-Year-Old Woman Found Dead in Forest After Hours

On July 19, 2025, police from Ban Rai station in Uthai Thani Province received a report at 6:30 p.m. on July 18 of a death in a forested area in Moo 10, Ban Phluang Thong, Hu Chang subdistrict, Ban Rai district. Officers, doctors, and rescue workers responded to find the body of 90-year-old Boonchoo (surname withheld) lying face-down near the village forest. The body showed a laceration on the head approximately 1 inch long, abrasions on the body, and had been deceased for at least 8 hours. A wooden log and blood traces were found at the scene. A wallet containing 60 baht in cash was recovered from the body.

The deceased's daughter, Lamyuan (surname withheld), stated that two years prior, her mother's house had burned down and she had since moved in with her daughter about 200 meters from where she was found. On the day of the incident, the daughter had left at 4:00 a.m. to seek medical care in Suphanburi, leaving her mother alone at home. Upon returning after dark and finding her mother missing, the daughter searched nearby homes and relatives' houses without success. She then remembered her mother had mentioned wanting to collect betel nuts at her burned house two days earlier. While searching the forest edge, she discovered her mother lying on the ground and immediately alerted neighbors and police.

Deputy Inspector Monthian stated that investigation of the scene revealed no signs of struggle. He suggested the death may have resulted from heat stroke, as the body showed signs of prolonged sun exposure causing darkening of the skin. The head laceration could have occurred from a fall, and the blood traces may be betel nut juice from the deceased's habitual betel nut chewing. Soil samples from the blood area were collected for examination, and the body was sent to Sawaenprachaket Hospital for further autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.