Korean Boyfriend Questioned Over Woman’s River Death

The body of a missing young woman known as Fern has been found in the Mae Klong River in Kanchanaburi province, two days after she disappeared. Police have taken her South Korean boyfriend in for questioning as investigators examine whether the death was a suicide or a possible murder.

Get today's headlines by email

Fern, identified as Jelka Phuthong, had been reported missing after her motorbike, an iPhone and her shoes were found abandoned near the Mae Klong bridge. Rescue teams from the Pitakkan Foundation and Khun Rattanawut Foundation searched the river continuously for two days and one night before locating her body.

At around 11.15am on 25 May 2026, divers found Fern’s body submerged near Tha Lo beach in Tha Muang district, Kanchanaburi, around 3 kilometres from the bridge where her belongings were discovered. Officers from Tha Muang Police Station, led by senior provincial police officials including Pol Maj Gen Phatsawi Rueangphu, attended the scene with forensic staff from Somdet Phra Sangharaja 19 Hospital to conduct an initial examination.

Relatives gathered at the riverside as the body was recovered, with family members overcome with grief. Fern’s parents, Wallop Phuthong and Napatsorn Phuthong, said they had limited contact with their daughter but knew she had a South Korean boyfriend.

The family said they only learned about the abandoned motorbike after local residents alerted them, prompting them to file a missing person report. Police said the exact cause of death has not yet been determined.

Investigators are focusing on two possible scenarios. One theory is that Fern may have jumped into the river following an argument with her South Korean boyfriend, while another is that she may have been murdered and thrown into the water.

Police have now taken the boyfriend in for questioning while detectives continue reviewing CCTV footage from areas near the bridge. Officers are attempting to determine whether Fern travelled to the scene alone or with another person before she disappeared into the water.

Amarin reported that the body was transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for a post-mortem examination to establish the precise cause of death. Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing as police gather further evidence and interview additional witnesses.

Pictures courtesy of Amarin

Join the discussion?

Already a member?

Adapted by ASEAN Now Amarin 26 May 2026