"Ms. Ked" speaks from Laos, denying she was an accomplice who lured the 26-year-old man to his death at the "barbershop." She clarifies she was not the third wife of "Chang Ek" but became a victim due to repeated sexual assault and abuse, forcing her to flee. She is willing to provide information to police if her safety is assured.,
On 19 April 2026, regarding the case of Mr. Jeerawat Rattanawimantip, 59, or Chang Ek, owner of a barbershop in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi province, who used a club to strike the head of Mr. Thiti Kobsapcharoen, 26, or Tee, causing his death. A 15-year-old witness recorded a video and testified that two of the barber's wives were present at the scene. Police laterarrestedall three and proceeded with legal action, andare currentlygatheringevidenceafter discovering possible motives linked to a love affair involving Ms. Ked, 30, a Laotian national who had previously been involved with both the deceased and the suspect but returned to her country about a month ago.
On 19 April 2026, Thairath news team spoke with Ms. Ked by phone, who is now residing in Laos. She admitted that after learning of the incident, her mental state deteriorated and she felt pressured by social speculation suggesting she might have been involved as an accomplice luring the victim to Mr. Ek for murder.
Ms. Ked insisted she had no knowledge or involvement in the incident. She explained that her relationship with Mr. Ek (the suspect) was not marital as reported. Instead, she was forcibly raped by Mr. Ek since she was under 15. Mr. Ek mistakenly considered her his wife, though she never consented, resulting in them having one child together.
Throughout this time, she was threatened with death and subjected to violence by Mr. Ek, unable to escape or live freely. Mr. Ek warned that if she tried to flee or had relationships with others, he would kill her, her new partners, and claimed he would commit suicide afterward. She was thus forced to live in the same house with Mr. Ek and Mrs. Nim, his wife, but lived separately in different rooms.
Recently, on 15 March, Mr. Ek severely assaulted her twice, including kicking, punching, choking, and hitting her with a hammer. She sustained serious injuries including broken ribs, rendering her unable to work or care for herself. The assaults stemmed from jealousy and accusations about her contacts with others.
After this abuse, she decided to escape by pretending to go home. Mr. Ek accompanied her to the border, and upon arriving in Laos, she immediately cut off all contact and blocked every channel.
Regarding her relationship with Mr. Tee (the deceased), Ms. Ked said it began as a customer relationship and developed into communication over more than a year. Financial problems later caused them to drift apart, and they lost contact. She confirmed that during their relationship, Mr. Ek was unaware, only learning about it after she had returned to Laos, which she believes fueled his anger.
Concerning the mobile phone mentioned in allegations, Ms. Ked confirmed that the iPhone 15 Pro Max was with her, and she probably left the box at the shop. She denied asking Mr. Tee to collect it, suggesting this story was fabricated by Mr. Ek to lure the victim to the crime scene.
About the behavior of Nim (Mr. Ek's wife), Ms. Ked said she is a good person who was also abused by Mr. Ek and even had her head shaved forcibly. Regarding "Mon," Ms. Ked is unclear about the relationship or whether she suffered sexual assault like herself.
She reiterated that she is not the third wife of Mr. Ek but a victim of rape and coercion. Her fleeing the country was an act of escape from danger. She is willing to fully cooperate with police for clarity in the case but requests safety assurances due to ongoing fears for her security.