Wildlife Sanctuary Worker Found Dead After Four Days Missing

Picture courtesy of Naewna.

A wildlife sanctuary worker and lottery vendor who had been missing for four days was found dead after he is believed to have lost control of his motorcycle on a reservoir embankment in Uthai Thani. The body of 39-year-old Ekachart Janthahom, also known as “Mai”, was discovered on 14 September by a rescue team responding to a foul odour near the Tab Salao reservoir in Lan Sak District. His motorcycle and a lottery ticket board were found at the scene.

Ekachart had worked as a hired employee at the Huai Tab Salao–Huai Rabam Wildlife Sanctuary for more than five years while also selling lottery tickets. His family reported him missing on 11 September after failing to reach him. That same day, villagers saw him refuelling his motorcycle in Lan Sak District, which was the last confirmed sighting before he disappeared.

Rescue worker Sin Nakbutr and his team were searching in the area on the evening of 14 September when they detected a strong smell. On inspection, they found Ekachart’s body stuck in a tree around five to six metres down a steep slope. His legs were entangled in vines, and his body showed signs of decomposition, with maggots present, suggesting he had been dead for several days.

Police from Lan Sak Station and a doctor from Lan Sak Hospital examined the scene. They noted damage to the motorcycle’s front wheel and tyre, as well as skid marks on nearby rocks and broken branches. Initial investigations suggested he had gone out of control on the steep embankment, causing him to fall and die after being impaled through the left eye by a tree branch.

Authorities recovered a board containing 23 lottery tickets and around 300 baht in cash. However, his mobile phone was missing, and his family claimed he had been carrying more than 20,000 baht at the time of his disappearance. This raised concerns among relatives, who questioned whether theft might have played a role in his death.

His father, 60-year-old Apirak Janthahom, and other relatives have requested a detailed autopsy. The body has been transferred to Sawanpracharak Hospital in Nakhon Sawan for further examination. Police will continue investigating both the cause of death and the missing possessions to determine whether foul play was involved.

Key Takeaways

• A 39-year-old wildlife sanctuary worker missing for four days was found dead in Uthai Thani.

• Police suspect a motorcycle crash on a steep embankment caused his death.

• The family has requested an autopsy due to missing valuables and his mobile phone.

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  Adapted by Asean Now from Naewna 2025-09-16