Man Arrested After Brutal Machete Killing in Chumphon

Picture courtesy of SiamRath.

Police in Chumphon province have arrested a 57-year-old man after he allegedly used a machete to fatally attack a younger acquaintance in a brutal assault that left the victim’s head almost severed.

The shocking incident occurred at around 18:30 on 9 July in a single-storey concrete house in Ban Kaeng Tan, Moo 2, Raphro sub-district, Tha Sae district. Police were alerted to the scene following reports of a fatal assault.

Responding officers from Tha Sae Police Station, along with forensic investigators, rescue workers and a doctor from Tha Sae Hospital, arrived to find the body of Mr. Satit 38, lying in a pool of blood in a rear bedroom. He had suffered multiple deep lacerations, including a devastating wound  to his neck, that nearly decapitating him. Blood spatter was found on the walls and by the rear door of the house.

Police found that the front door of the house was locked from the outside, with the rear door being the only access point. The crime scene was secured and the body was sent for a detailed autopsy.

According to Ms. Phumarin 26, who was present at the scene, she and her husband, Mr. Damnoen 45, had gone to rest at a small shelter behind Mr. Satit’s house after spending the night guarding a durian orchard. Around 17:00 she entered the house through the rear door to prepare food for her husband.

Ms. Phumarin said she briefly spoke to Mr. Satit, who was lying on a mattress, before heading to the kitchen to fry eggs. She shut the kitchen door to avoid disturbing him. Moments later, she heard the rear door open, followed by a loud chopping sound. When she rushed out, she saw Mr. Satit bleeding heavily from the neck, alone in the room.

While fleeing in panic to find her husband, she encountered Mr. Liang 57, who allegedly asked her what had happened before calmly entering the house. Moments later, he reappeared carrying a bloodied machete and hurried away towards an abandoned sand dredging site nearby.

Police launched an immediate manhunt and soon discovered Mr. Liang hiding in a dark corner of the disused site, located just 300 metres from the crime scene and close to his home. He was taken into custody along with the murder weapon.

Mr. Liang reportedly refused to cooperate with initial questioning, citing stress and only stating that an argument had led to the attack. He has been charged with homicide and officers are monitoring him closely in custody out of concern he may attempt to harm himself.

The motive behind the killing remains under investigation.

  Adapted by Asean Now from SiamRath 2025-07-11