A YOUNG woman was shot dead and her body abandoned near a canal in Phatthalung province last night (August 2) with it later being discovered that she had been killed over a 60,000 baht debt, Sanook.com said today.
Upon being alerted of the murder at around 7 p.m. Pol. Capt. Sommai Rakchuchuen of Muang Phatthalung police station quickly went to the spot near Ban Saphan Yi canal, where some locals had found the body, accompanied by a doctor from Phatthalung Hospital and Phatthalung Volunteer rescuers.
At the scene they found the body of a woman of around 30-35 years of age wrapped in a sheet, and beneath the sheet a raincoat, with a nylon rope tied above and below. She had been shot in the left rib cage and arm several times and had been dead for at least three days. There was no evidence of who she was and her body was sent to Phatthalung Hospital for an autopsy.
The local residents who found the body said they had come to put in some fishing lines in the canal when they spotted the body and called the police.
Later Mrs. Preeda (surname withheld), 62, came to see the body and confirmed it was that of her daughter, Ms Jiraporn, 28, who disappeared on July 29.
Police investigation later revealed that she had been kidnapped and taken away in a pickup truck.
Mrs. Preeda related that after her daughter disappeared someone called her and said she owed them 60,000 baht and to transfer 30,000 baht within three days otherwise her safety could not be guaranteed.
The deceased woman’s mother added that she tried to raise the money but no one would lend her any. When she called the party who had kidnapped her daughter no one answered the phone.
She also went to her boyfriend’s house but could not find him.
Police said they will be tracking down the killers by going through CCTV footage and also gathering evidence in other ways.
CAPTION:
The spot near the canal where the young woman’s body was found last night. Thai headline says, “60,000 baht debt and three days given.” Photo: Sanook.com
