Man Killed Over Cassava Theft in Buriram Field
A 57‑year‑old cassava farm owner was found beaten to death in Buriram, with his body covered in soil to hide it. Police believe he was attacked after surprising thieves digging up cassava roots to sell. His wife, daughter and a close friend described his hardworking nature and urged police to catch the perpetrator.
Buriram – A horrifying murder has shaken the province after a 57‑year‑old cassava farm owner was found beaten to death, his body covered with soil in an attempt to conceal it. Police believe he may have surprised thieves digging up cassava roots to sell. The victim’s wife, aged 49, said the family cultivates about five rai of cassava. On the afternoon of October 9, 2569 he went to join the village’s annual sports event before heading out to check the farm in the evening. He never returned home that night, which was unusual. The next morning she began searching among relatives and friends, then went to the farm where she discovered her husband’s body.
She suspects he encountered the thieves while inspecting the crop and was attacked. She noted that about one rai of cassava had been dug up, but roughly 80 kilograms of roots were missing, while the remainder remained piled in the field. With cassava roots currently selling for about 3–4 baht per kilogram, she described the killing as brutal and urged the perpetrator to surrender or for police to apprehend him quickly.
The couple’s eldest daughter, 33, tearfully described her father as a hardworking man who never quarrelled with anyone and regularly tended the farm. She believes he may have run into the thieves while they were stealing cassava, leading to a struggle, but she never imagined the attackers would be so vicious over a few tubers. She urged police to bring the culprit to justice.
A close friend, aged 50, recounted seeing the victim at the village sports field on the evening of October 9, before the man said he was going to look at the cassava farm. The friend said he would be tapping rubber trees instead. After finishing his rubber work, he rested and fell asleep, dreaming that the victim appeared and told him ‘goodbye.’ He did not think anything of it until the next morning when he learned from the wife that her husband had been found dead. He said he was shocked and saddened, convinced that the victim had seen the thieves’ faces and was killed to silence them. He also urged police to catch the offender.
Police from Lahansai Police Station are still gathering evidence and investigating to identify and prosecute those responsible.
