Police in Chiang Mai raided a hotel room, capturing a couple wanted for fraud and suspected in the murder of a 23-year-old woman in Nakhon Pathom province. Chiang Mai City Police, armed with a warrant, broke down the door to the hotel room after repeated knocks went unanswered.
Inside, they apprehended a 26-year-old man, Narongchai, and a 21-year-old woman, Pattharaporn. Both were taken into custody and brought to the Chiang Mai police station.
They were wanted on charges of fraud by impersonation and were suspects in a case involving the murder and burning of a young woman’s body in Nakhon Pathom province. Authorities in Nakhon Chai Si have been notified to take them back for further legal proceedings.
Police Colonel Prachaya Thisla told reporters that the couple had fled Nakhon Pathom and taken a bus to Chiang Mai. They then hired a red minibus to reach the hotel where they were hiding. Investigators tracked their movements to the Chiang Mai hotel.
Couple Fled to Chiang Mai
The pair was accused of defrauding several people by impersonating others and were named suspects in the murder of a 23-year-old woman, identified as Ann. The alleged motive revolved around outstanding debts. After committing the crime, the couple reportedly moved from province to province before being captured in Chiang Mai.
The case began on March 4, when Ann informed her husband and sister that she was going to collect a debt of about 4,000-5,000 baht from one of the suspects. The money was for a nursing assistant uniform, and a medical checkup.
After leaving, Ann didn’t return home, and her family could only communicate with her through text messages.
Unbeknownst to them, it wasn’t Ann they were chatting with but Pattharaporn. In the following days, Pattharaporn managed to convince them to transfer money six times, totalling amounts ranging from a few thousand baht to as high as 25,000 baht.
Growing suspicious, Ann’s husband, Veera, and her sister reported her disappearance to police on March 16.
Burned Remains Found
Later, Veera received a photo of a canal near Wat Bot Takua from the suspect pretending to be Ann. When Ann failed to identify the location, Veera stopped communication, sensing something was amiss. He then shared a social media post searching for his wife and her missing phone.
Police eventually traced the phone to a man and woman who had sold it. Their investigation led to a house in Don Tum District, Nakhon Pathom. Upon arrival, officers discovered a burned area in the yard, ammunition boxes, and Ann’s motorcycle.
However, there wasn’t enough evidence to detain the couple at the time, so they were released. Shortly after, the suspects fled to other provinces before being tracked down in Chiang Mai.
A relative of one of the suspects, Ray’s sister, shared additional insight. She revealed that Narongchai had once dated Ann but ended the relationship long ago.
He later began seeing Pattharaporn, who had a reputation for petty theft. The family had grown frustrated with Narongchai’s behaviour and even barred him from their home. Since dating Pattharaporn, Narongchai’s personality reportedly changed, and the family struggled to believe he could be involved in such crimes.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
