"Tom" accepted the death penalty, expressed remorse for killing and dismembering his Laotian girlfriend after she asked to break up. He vowed to become a monk for life if spared execution. Police confirmed recovery of two more bags of body parts, which are difficult to find as they are in a landfill with accumulated toxic gases.,
On 27 Mar 2026 GMT+7, at Thung Song Hong Police Station, officers escorted Tom, the suspect in the dismemberment murder of his girlfriend Ram, from the detention room to be remanded at the Criminal Court on Ratchada Road on charges of intentional homicide and concealing a corpse.
Before boarding the vehicle, Tom told reporters he misses his girlfriend, loved her deeply, and is very sorry. He apologized to his girlfriend, her parents, his own parents, and both families’ relatives. He said he deeply regrets what happened and sincerely apologizes. Now, he cannot undo his actions and must face the consequences.
When asked why he committed the crime despite loving her, whether he truly loved her or just himself, he said, “I don’t know.” He denied acting out of jealousy leading to her death. Initially, he intended to take her home to talk with her parents, but she refused and became upset. He said he accidentally put his hand on her neck but not out of anger.
When asked why he squeezed her neck so hard if not angry, Tom did not answer directly, only saying he lost control. Although the penalty may be death, he is willing to accept it so others learn not to take life lightly. He admitted he was careless. He said if executed, it would serve as a deterrent. He wants to warn others not to follow his example and desires the death penalty to instill fear. If spared, he plans to become a monk in Laos. He said he does not recall his thoughts during the dismemberment.
Investigators opposed bail due to the severity of the crime, the high penalty, and the suspect’s escape risk. Before remand, a duty officer spoke with Tom, who was reading Dharma books, smiling, and admitting he misses his girlfriend.
Pol. Col. Yutthasill Karn, superintendent of Thung Song Hong Police Station, updated that Tom tearfully apologized and showed remorse before the investigators. He claimed he acted out of jealousy and anger because his girlfriend was trying to leave him.
Regarding the knife found in a trash bin, Tom has not confirmed it was the weapon used to dismember the body, claiming he does not remember. Police are conducting additional DNA testing on the recovered knife.
As for the two remaining bags of the victim’s body parts still missing, investigations revealed that after Tom discarded them in a trash bin, Bangkok’s waste collectors had already collected that garbage. They initially transported the waste to the Tha Raeng landfill, then moved all collected waste to a treatment site in Nakhon Pathom Province.
Currently, investigators are searching for the last two bags at the Nakhon Pathom landfill. The search is challenging due to the large volume of waste and the presence of toxic gases, so it is expected to take some time before the remains can be retrieved and sent to the forensic institute for examination and then returned to the victim’s family.
Regarding the body reception, the Forensic Science Institute of the Ministry of Justice is awaiting the remaining two body parts to complete a thorough examination before handing over the remains to the family. It is expected to take at least 20 days before the body can be used for religious funeral rites.
Meanwhile, the family has completed DNA testing and is awaiting comparison results with the recovered remains. Once the family receives the body, they will proceed with cremation and religious ceremonies in Thailand. The family has expressed their initial intention to move the remains to Wat Chong Lom in Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi Province. Meanwhile, they have returned to Laos to comfort Ram’s grieving parents.