Missing Man Found Murdered, Bound & Dumped in Forest

Picture courtesy of Daily News.

A 48-year-old man who had been missing for three days was found dead in a gruesome murder case on a remote hilltop in Trang province. The body was discovered bound and gagged in a dense rubber plantation, with police now investigating the killing.

Officers from Ratsada Police Station were alerted on the evening of 4 August after villagers reported a foul smell emanating from a forested area near Ban Nam Pliew, Moo 2, Nong Prue sub-district, Ratsada district. Police, accompanied by investigators, administrative officials, a hospital doctor and rescue workers from the Siam Ruamjai Pu In Trang Foundation, arrived at the scene to investigate.

Hidden beneath leaves and branches, officers discovered the decomposing body of a man later identified as Mr. Weerathorn, 48. His mouth had been tightly bound, his hands tied with a pha khao ma (a traditional Thai cloth), and his feet secured with a black leather strap. His head showed signs of blunt force trauma. It is believed he had been dead for approximately three days.

Nearby, a black Honda Wave motorcycle was found overturned in the undergrowth, with police suggesting he had been taken to the site by force.

Investigators learned that local villagers had ventured into the plantation to scrap rubber when they detected a strong odour. Fearing the worst, they notified the village head and rescue teams, leading to the grim discovery.

According to witnesses, Mr. Weerathorn was last seen on the morning of 1 August when someone reportedly came to pick him up from his home. He then disappeared without a trace, until his body was found three days later.

Police are now interviewing potential witnesses and examined the crime scene for clues. The body has been sent to Songklanagarind Hospital in Songkhla for a full autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Daily News 2025-08-06