Student charged after Chinese man stabbing death in Sattahip

A 20-year-old college student has been charged with murder after a 20-year-old Chinese man was stabbed to death in a room in Na Jomtien, Sattahip district, Chonburi, on 8 August.

Na Jomtien police said the victim, named as Mr Cao Ke, was found dead at about 7.10am inside accommodation in Soi Na Jomtien 30. He had suffered multiple stab wounds, to his chest and arms. Cao, is described as the son of the owner of a luxury yacht, and was found dead in a pool of blood at the foot of a bed.

A 21-year-old woman, identified only as Kanyarat, was also injured in the room and was described as frightened. Police initially focused their investigation on the relationship between those involved.

Suspect takes police to recover knife

At 2.30pm the same day, Pol Lt Col Adisorn Kobkoy, deputy investigation superintendent at Na Jomtien Police Station, and detectives took the suspect, Thanachot, 20, to his girlfriend's room for a reconstruction of the alleged offence.

During the reconstruction, he showed officers where he said he had discarded the knife behind the room, in an area of dense grass and undergrowth. Police used a metal detector and recovered a curved folding knife, believed to be the weapon used. It has been retained for forensic examination.

Chinese relatives of the dead man arrived at the scene while the reconstruction was under way and were seen crying. Some attempted to attack the suspect, but officers intervened, restored order and quickly took him away by vehicle.

Conflicting accounts under investigation

According to police, Thanachot said he had been in a relationship with his girlfriend for about three months. He said he had travelled to work in Pattaya on the night of the incident, returned in the morning and went to her room.

He told investigators that, after opening the door and finding an unfamiliar man inside, he asked who he was while holding a knife to intimidate him. Thanachot claimed the Chinese man tried to take the knife and use it against him, leading to a struggle in which the two men also choked each other.

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

He alleged that he regained the knife and stabbed the man several times, but did not intend to cause his death. He said he fled towards Pattaya afterwards, then surrendered after learning the man had died.

Kanyarat said she worked at a hotel and had known the victim for around two months after he had visited the hotel from time to time. She said he came to her room at about midnight and they talked before falling asleep.

She said her boyfriend returned in the morning, knocked on the door and that she opened it. The three spoke before an argument escalated into violence. She said she tried to intervene but suffered several knife cuts and could not separate the two men before her boyfriend stabbed the Chinese man.

Police examine CCTV and forensic evidence

Chonburi forensic officers examined the room, surrounding area and other relevant locations for evidence. Police are also questioning witnesses, checking CCTV footage and gathering forensic material for the case file.

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9 August 2026

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