Bitter pill: Gay man accused of poisoning friend for insurance cash

[snoop1130]

 

A gay Thai man in the central province of Lopburi has been accused of poisoning a female friend with cyanide and staging a motorcycle accident to claim an insurance payout of 1.5 million baht.

 

The victim, a 25 year old Thai woman, Chonlada “Tong” Kongdam, was admitted to King Narai Hospital in the central province of Lopburi at midnight on February 2 earlier this year after she crashed her motorcycle into a roadside forest on Nikhom-Ban Dong Noi Road.

 

Tong suffered only minor injuries, including a wound near her right eye and scratches on her face. However, her condition unexpectedly worsened, leading to her death in the early hours of February 3.

 

The medical team suspected foul play, as the injuries from the accident were not serious. An autopsy revealed cyanide in Tong’s blood system and stomach.

 

Channel 8 investigated the case and discovered that Tong’s motorcycle accident occurred a day after she signed an insurance document. Tong had a young son but was divorced. However, the beneficiary of the insurance was not Tong’s son or other family members but her gay friend, Por.

 

In the insurance document, Por was identified as Tong’s boyfriend. According to Channel 8, Por appeared to be Tong’s best friend and was present at the accident scene, the hospital, and Tong’s funeral.

 

Channel 8 also found a conversation between Tong and another friend named Fern, revealing that Por was her friend, not her boyfriend. Por wanted to have a child but was unable to, due to being a gay man, so Por planned to adopt Tong’s son. Tong also told Fern that Por took excellent care of her and her son.

 

Nevertheless, the close relationship between Tong and Por made Por the main suspect in the woman’s death.

 

Family opposes investigation

 

A temple staff member and a makeup artist who worked on Tong’s funeral told Channel 8 that Por and another woman, who appeared boyish, asked them to work quickly to prepare Tong for the coffin.

 

Typically, Thai funerals last at least three days before cremation but Tong’s was completed in just one day.

 

The makeup artist also revealed that Tong’s body had darkened, despite her having had fair skin while alive. The artist suspected poisoning, as Tong’s body displayed similar signs to those reported in previous poisoning news cases. This suspicion was later confirmed.

 

Channel 8 reported that Tong’s family members refused to be interviewed and insisted they did not suspect foul play in her death. They wanted to drop the investigation and wanted to know who shared the details of Tong’s death with the media.

 

The media team explained that they attempted to contact Por for an interview but were unsuccessful. Por’s neighbours told the media that he rarely returned home after Tong’s death.

 

Even though Tong’s family did not want to pursue further investigation into her death, the well-known Thai lawyer, Nitikorn “James” Kaewto, urged the police to continue their investigation, as the suspicious death of a resident is considered a criminal offence in Thailand.

 

By Petch Petpailin

Photo via Channel 8

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-08-06

 

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[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Channel 8 investigated the case and discovered that Tong’s motorcycle accident occurred a day after she signed an insurance document.

Por didn't hang around...

[john donson]

a day after, no sus at all

[J Branche]

Any payout is going to follow some basic protocols, inquires with hospital staff, test results, any suspicious or irregular occurrences regarding the policy issue date and any beneficiary.  

 

RIP, young girl

[PETERTHEEATER]

Por wanted to have a child but was unable to, due to being a gay man, 

 

Even heterosexual men have that problem......

[steven100]

poor Por is in the cow sh_t now ....

he'll be charged with Tong's murder ...

bit strange the family didn't believe the poisoning or want to investigate further ...  why?

 

Rip young lady Tong.

[RichardColeman]

22 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

They wanted to drop the investigation and wanted to know who shared the details of Tong’s death with the media.

Of course - the insurance is probably invalid for murder 

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Of course - the insurance is probably invalid for murder 

The insurance's death benefit would not normally be invalidated just because the insured was murdered but the payout to the beneficiary would be if he was the murderer.  

[Nick Carter icp]

On 8/6/2024 at 11:21 AM, snoop1130 said:

Channel 8 investigated the case and discovered that Tong’s motorcycle accident occurred a day after she signed an insurance document.

 

   That raises more Red flags than Chinese independence day in Tiananmen square 

[Baht Simpson]

Just putting my Sherlock Holmes hat on.

 

Seems like poor Por has been found guilty already.  Some evidence would be nice or maybe his side of the story. 

 

I guess that the insurance would point to a motive but would anyone be stupid enough to try that before the ink had dried on the document?

 

How much cyanide was found in the body? Under 50mg. isn't necessarily fatal. If it was a lethal dose why didn't they call the police?

 

If Tong wanted Por to be the beneficiary she would probably have to name a family member or someone she is in a relationship with. As Por agreed to adopt her son she obviously said that.

 

Thai funerals do normally last three days but sometimes just one. This would be up to the family.

 

A suspicious death isn't a crime per se. There has to be evidence of a crime for that. 

 

Channel 8 "found a conversation". Where? Seems to be based on hearsay.

 

I'm not sure why the headline reads "Gay Thai". His sexuality is largely irrelevant. 

 

Did he poison her? Perhaps, but the law and reporting should be even-handed.

Edited August 7 by Baht Simpson

[cncltd1973]

investigative journalism solving cases again

Edited August 8 by cncltd1973

[MalcolmB]

You can never trust them.

[Will B Good]

Never seen a headline like......Straight man kills girlfriend....or.....Hetrosexual male robs guy in the street....

[Baht Simpson]

5 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Never seen a headline like......Straight man kills girlfriend....or.....Hetrosexual male robs guy in the street....

Exactly. You see this all the time. 

 

 

[Baht Simpson]

18 minutes ago, cncltd1973 said:

investigative journalism solving cases again

Fair enough if they have some concrete evidence which is passed on to the police. But 'something smells fishy' isn't evidence.

[Emdog]

Backs up the wisdom here: "Don't make yourself worth more dead than alive"

[Will B Good]

3 minutes ago, Emdog said:

Backs up the wisdom here: "Don't make yourself worth more dead than alive"

 

 

That has me worried.

[Baht Simpson]

2 minutes ago, Emdog said:

Backs up the wisdom here: "Don't make yourself worth more dead than alive"

That's why pensions are good. The flow of money stops when you cop it.

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, Baht Simpson said:

That's why pensions are good. The flow of money stops when you cop it.

 

 

OH NO.....Mine don't.....she gets 75% of the pension in the form of income.....now I am really worried.

[Moonlover]

On 8/6/2024 at 5:21 PM, snoop1130 said:

The medical team suspected foul play, as the injuries from the accident were not serious. An autopsy revealed cyanide in Tong’s blood system and stomach.

 

Surely the police should have been notified immediately and Tong's body impounded until released by them, (the police) not by the hospital.

 

What a topsy Turvey country this can be at times.

[Baht Simpson]

24 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

OH NO.....Mine don't.....she gets 75% of the pension in the form of income.....now I am really worried.

Been nice knowing you. Lol

[Harsh Jones]

On 8/7/2024 at 8:59 AM, Baht Simpson said:

Just putting my Sherlock Holmes hat on.

 

Seems like poor Por has been found guilty already.  Some evidence would be nice or maybe his side of the story. 

 

I guess that the insurance would point to a motive but would anyone be stupid enough to try that before the ink had dried on the document?

 

 

Yes. It happens all the time. 

[ShaneOTraveller]

Thai Crimes make Horror Movies look weak OMG Reality is much worse!