Family Grieves Boy Band Singer Found in River

The mother and girlfriend of Tae Dragon Five, a renowned boy band singer, collected his body on August 8, 2025, at the Forensic Science Institute under the Justice Ministry in Pathum Thani, and are seeking clarity on the circumstances of his death. They fear he may have been robbed and killed. His body was found in the Chao Phraya River near Rama VII Bridge in Nonthaburi after relatives reported him missing from his residence along with his bicycle. Police discovered a black backpack containing cement chunks and bricks weighing approximately 10 kilograms used to weigh down the body. No visible injuries were found, and he is believed to have died about 24 hours before discovery.

His mother, Darara, 79, and girlfriend, Valaiwan, 42, arranged a three-day Buddhist merit-making ceremony from August 8–10, with the cremation scheduled for August 11 due to religious observance restrictions on August 12. Darara described her son as a hardworking and resilient person who attempted several businesses over the years. He opened a children's drama school but was forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic. He later opened a northern Thai restaurant called "Peang Khanaad" and was planning to open a men's barber school, which was thriving. He regularly volunteered to provide free haircuts to the community every Saturday and had even begun preparing to become a Buddhist monk.

Darara expressed suspicion about the bricks in the backpack, questioning whether her son was attacked or robbed. She noted his new bicycle had gone missing and worried he may have been killed and weighted down underwater. She described him as gentle, never argumentative, and not depressed. On his birthday on July 8, he had invited her to eat together, and they spoke regularly without any sign of distress. She stressed to police that she wants clarity on whether he was attacked or robbed, and maintains he showed no signs of crisis or mental health issues.