Municipal Worker Kills Girlfriend, Then Takes Own Life in Mango Orchard
A 57-year-old municipal worker strangled his 35-year-old Laotian girlfriend in Chai Nat Province, then hanged himself in a mango orchard on September 6, leaving farewell messages citing financial distress and jealousy.
At 10:00 a.m. on September 7, 2569, Deputy Superintendent Boonchat Khiao-Lek of Muang Chai Nat Police Station responded to a report of a death in a mango orchard in Chai Nat Subdistrict, Muang District, Chai Nat Province. Upon arrival with volunteers and hospital staff, police found the body of Somchai (surname withheld), age 57, a municipal subdistrict employee. The body showed signs of self-harm, with a bent neck and discolored skin. Preliminary medical assessment indicated death had occurred at least 24 hours earlier. The body was sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Sawan Pracharak Hospital for autopsy.
Examination of the deceased's mobile phone revealed heartbreaking farewell messages sent to his ex-wife and a close friend on the morning of September 6. The messages stated that he had strangled his girlfriend to death and was about to take his own life, asking them to look after his grandchild and to cremate them together.
Police rushed to inspect a rented room in Muang District. The room was locked with air conditioning left running. Neighbors had to help break open the door. Inside, they found the body of Ms. Rae, 35, a Laotian national, lying on the bed with visible bruising around her neck consistent with strangulation. She had been dead for at least 24 hours.
Investigation revealed that the deceased man's ex-wife confirmed receiving his confession that he had strangled his girlfriend and intended to end his own life. The deceased's sister stated that her brother had been in a relationship with the woman for about a year, renting a house for her. She said he frequently complained of financial distress, with debts exceeding hundreds of thousands of baht due to the girlfriend.
A close friend of the deceased woman said the couple had been dating despite a 22-year age difference, and they frequently argued about jealousy. On the morning of September 6, she received a message from the man but thought it was a normal quarrel and did not check on them. When she later learned of Somchai's death and visited the room, she discovered her friend had died. The news devastated relatives, particularly the woman's family in Laos, who learned of her death through video call and wept inconsolably.
