In Prachinburi, the family urges police to swiftly track down and prosecute the killer of Sergeant Major, fearing the suspect may return to harm others in their home. Five days after the crime, the suspect remains at large. Meanwhile, Sergeant Major's son, a soldier stationed along the Thai-Cambodian border, admits concern for his mother. After completing funeral affairs, he must return to his duties.
At 4:00 p.m. on 5 Jan 2026, a cremation ceremony for Sergeant Major Amnat, aged 52, was held at Wat Kotsasan Muni (Nong Khao Temple) in Khok Mai Lai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Prachinburi Province. He was a financial officer at the Chakrapong Camp Hospital in Prachinburi. On 1 Jan 2025 at 7:00 a.m., Panawat, or Nok, 39, a neighbor living opposite the victim's house, brutally stabbed and slashed Amnat's throat while he was cycling a tricycle for exercise on a village road. After committing the violent act, Nok fled toward the village entrance, then escaped on a blue-black Honda Wave 125 motorcycle without license plates. Authorities are pursuing him. CCTV footage clearly captured the entire incident at the scene.
Following the incident, the investigative team from Mueang Prachinburi Police Station deployed forces to pressure the suspect by searching locations linked to leads. They coordinated with drone operators from Satja and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation to scan a durian orchard area near Prachantakham District after detecting the suspect's phone signal there. Officers proceeded on foot to possible locations but found nothing, hindered by nighttime conditions and safety concerns. They continued to follow all reported tips but have yet to locate the suspect.
At the cremation, the sergeant major’s wife lit incense before his portrait, asking for a swift arrest and urging authorities to pursue the case to the end, expressing that she could not bear the situation otherwise. She held his photo close with a smile, speaking gently to it before the funeral procession moved to the crematorium. Sergeant Major Ratchakan Thaemthong, their son, assured his father he would take care of his mother and asked him not to worry.
Mrs. Pimlapas Thaemthong, the widow, said she felt connected to the police and believed this case should be within their capability to solve. It has been five days without an arrest, which she felt was unreasonable if the authorities were committed. She expressed uncertainty about the police’s actions so far and urged them to act quickly. She described the crime as shocking nationwide, brutal, and inhumane, profoundly changing their daily lives. She fears the suspect might return to harm them again and said she would not dare live at home until the suspect is caught. She implored authorities to expedite their work and asked the media to support her cause.
Sergeant Major Ratchakan Thaemthong, the son, said he was upset about what happened to his family. He noted that the suspect’s relatives have not contacted them. Concerned for his mother, he must return to his post on the Sa Kaeo border after the funeral. It has been five days with no sign or answers. When he inquired, he was only told the suspect was being pursued.